Green councillors advocating for Bath and North East Somerset Council to adopt a formal AI ethics policy faced criticism likening their concerns to the dystopian Skynet from the film The Terminator.
Skynet, a self-aware AI from the 1984 Schwarzenegger classic, symbolizes an AI takeover threatening humanity. The Liberal Democrat-led council currently employs three AI programs to support various functions, including administrative duties within social care teams.
The Green group’s motion sought to establish a robust ethics framework addressing AI’s impact on jobs, the environment, and transparency around its deployment. During the debate, Labour’s Grant Johnson (Paulton) commented, “The Greens’ motion reads less like a futuristic vision and more like a warning that Skynet is about to take over B&NES.”
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Johnson reassured: “The closest thing to a robot uprising here is MagicNotes summarizing meetings. While Greens see a Terminator scenario, we see practical tools saving time, improving services, and allowing social care staff more direct engagement with those in need.”
Joanna Wright (Lambridge, Green), who introduced the motion, emphasized the necessity of an ethics policy ensuring AI use is “fair, transparent, and prioritizes our residents’ interests.” She warned that AI often prioritizes profits of big tech firms over community wellbeing, especially in times of tight budgets.
Saskia Heijltjes (Lambridge, Green), with a degree in AI, echoed the call for responsible AI use, stressing that efficiency gains must be balanced with transparency, fairness, and environmental considerations.
Although the original Green motion was amended by Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors before passing, it will now progress to a council scrutiny and policy committee responsible for developing the AI ethics policy.
Earlier this year, the council allocated £65,000 to expand AI use. Mark Elliott (Lansdown, Liberal Democrat), cabinet member for resources, highlighted the tangible benefits: “MagicNotes has saved social care staff around ten hours weekly, enabling them to focus more on residents. In children’s services, administrative tasks have reduced by 75%, allowing quicker assessments.”
Additionally, AI tools in the council’s contact center assist in summarizing calls and generating follow-up notes promptly, improving responsiveness and reducing staff workload.
Elliott expressed support for the ethics policy committee but pointed out existing safeguards: “We already maintain policies on data protection, ethics, and responsible AI use, which are publicly available. Effective safeguards are in place to ensure AI benefits our community responsibly.”