What's happened
Boris Johnson expressed enthusiasm for AI, especially ChatGPT, highlighting its potential for writing and government cost reduction. He discussed his book sales, noting underperformance, and shared his political future outlook, emphasizing the importance of party organization.
What's behind the headline?
Johnson's enthusiasm for AI reflects a strategic shift towards technological optimism, contrasting with his previous political controversies. His praise for ChatGPT and ideas on government cost-cutting suggest he sees AI as a tool for reform, potentially influencing future policy. However, his underwhelming book sales highlight the disconnect between his media persona and public reception. The emphasis on AI's role in reducing legal and administrative costs indicates a pragmatic approach, but it remains uncertain whether this will translate into tangible policy changes. His comments on party reorganization reveal a desire to re-enter politics, but his comparison of a potential comeback to 'being reincarnated as an olive' underscores the slim odds. Overall, Johnson's current narrative aims to position him as a forward-thinking technologist, leveraging AI to reshape his political image and influence.
What the papers say
The Independent and The Mirror both highlight Johnson's strong praise for AI, with The Independent emphasizing his belief in its potential to cut government costs and his personal enthusiasm for ChatGPT. The Mirror, however, focuses more on his self-obsession, quoting him as loving the praise from AI and describing his memoir's poor sales. The contrasting tones reveal a mix of genuine optimism and self-promotion, with The Independent providing a more strategic perspective on AI's role in governance, while The Mirror underscores Johnson's ongoing media manipulation and desire for attention. Both sources agree on his admiration for AI but differ in their portrayal of his motivations and credibility.
How we got here
Johnson has long been an advocate of AI, praising ChatGPT for its capabilities in writing and cost-saving potential. His recent comments follow a period of media focus on his memoir's sales and his ongoing political ambitions. His interest in AI aligns with broader UK efforts to lead in artificial intelligence development.
Go deeper
More on these topics
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ChatGPT is a prototype artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI that focuses on usability and dialogue. The chatbot uses a large language model trained with reinforcement learning and is based on the GPT-3.5 architecture.
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Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson Hon FRIBA is a British politician, writer, and former journalist serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2019.
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The Sunday Times is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in the quality press market category. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, which is in turn owned by News Corp.
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The Bookseller is a British magazine reporting news on the publishing industry. Philip Jones is editor-in-chief of the weekly print edition of the magazine and the website.
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Artificial intelligence, sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, unlike the natural intelligence displayed by humans and animals.