Sensay, a creator of AI-powered digital replicas of people, has established an AI-powered government on a real island it purchased off the coast of the Philippines. Previously known as Cheron Island, it’s been renamed Sensay Island.
The Head of State (effectively, the President) of Sensay Island is Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of The Five Good Emperors of Rome, who was known for his love of Stoic philosophy and good judgement. Wartime British PM Winston Churchill is the Prime Minister, while Sun Tzu, author of the Chinese strategic classic, The Art of War, takes the reins at Defence. Alexander Hamilton is the new Treasury Secretary.
According to Sensay, “Each AI replica is designed to emulate the personality, values, and decision-making patterns of the historical figure it represents, providing a governance style infused with timeless wisdom and ethical principles.
To truly emulate the character of these historical figures, each recreation is uniquely trained on the literature, teaching, philosophies, and speeches of the real-life counterparts they represent.”
How easily AI replicas from such disparate periods and with such strong characters will be able to work together in government remains to be seen, since their contrasting values must surely clash at points, not to mention be at odds with modern-day values.
The full cabinet
Here’s the full list of Sensay Island cabinet members:
Head of State (President): Marcus Aurelius
Prime Minister: Winston Churchill
Foreign Affairs Minister: Eleanor Roosevelt
Defense Minister: Sun Tzu
Treasury Secretary: Alexander Hamilton
Justice Minister: Nelson Mandela
Science & Technology Minister: Ada Lovelace
Education Minister: Confucius
Health Minister: Florence Nightingale
Agriculture Minister: George Washington Carver
Environment Minister: Wangari Maathai
Culture Minister: Leonardo da Vinci
Ethics Advisor: Mahatma Gandhi
Innovation Advisor: Nikola Tesla
Infrastructure Director: Queen Hatshepsut
Chief Strategist: Zhuge Liang
Intelligence Chief: T.E. Lawrence
Personally, I think DaVinci was a wise choice for Culture Minister, and it’s nice to see Nikola Tesla being recognized as Innovation Advisor, but I have to say I’m a little disappointed not to see Queen Cleopatra anywhere in the mix.
Confucius also presents some challenges as Education Minister, considering his unfamiliarity with modern technology, like AI.
A real island
Sensay Island is indeed a real island off the coast of the Philippines. You can find it on Google Maps. It has a surface area of around 3.4 km², comprising beaches, rainforest, and coral lagoons.
From what we can see, there doesn’t seem to be any infrastructure of any kind on the island, so if you’re thinking of a visit, be aware that there’s probably no Wi-Fi.
While an AI government feels like something of a publicity stunt, there are serious reasons why Sensay has created an AI island:
“Sensay is looking to demonstrate that AI can be deployed in national governance to aid policymaking free from political partisanship and bureaucratic delays, and with unprecedented transparency and participation”, it says.
A fly on the wall
According to Marisol Reyes, the (AI-powered) Tourism Manager for Sensay Island, who you can chat with at its website, you can visit the island whenever you like:
“Absolutely, you can visit our beautiful island! We’re thrilled to welcome visitors to experience this unique blend of cutting-edge AI governance and traditional Filipino hospitality. Sensay Island is open to tourists who want to explore our pristine beaches, vibrant coral sanctuaries, and witness history in the making with our groundbreaking AI Council.”
For those without the means to visit, the good news is that you can still get involved. You will soon be able to register as an E-resident of Sensay Island, allowing you to propose new policies for its AI-powered administration via an open-access platform:
“This will combine direct democracy with AI-enhanced decision-making”, says Sensay.
Dan Thomson, CEO and founder of Sensay, added, “This project shows Sensay’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI in a responsible direction. I hope our approach will show the public and world leaders that AI is a feasible and efficient way to develop and implement policies.”
Despite an AI-controlled civilization leading to (attempted) human extinction in just about every major Sci-Fi movie I’ve watched in the last 40 years, from Logan’s Run to The Terminator, it seems that humans are still determined to give it a go.
But could AI actually provide a more balanced and sane government than our elected officials can? There’s only one way to find out…
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