Green councillors advocating for Bath and North East Somerset Council to adopt a formal AI ethics policy have faced pushback, with some accusing them of fearing a fictional “robot uprising” akin to the one in the movie The Terminator.
The Liberal Democrat-led council currently employs three AI programs to assist with various tasks, including administrative support for social care teams. The Green group’s motion called for a comprehensive ethics policy focused on the social and environmental impact of AI, as well as ensuring transparency around its use.
Labour councillor Grant Johnson (Paulton) addressed the council, saying, “The Greens have raised an important issue, but their motion sounds more like a warning that Skynet—the AI system from Terminator—is about to take over B&NES.” He added, “The reality is far less dramatic. Our biggest ‘robot uprising’ is MagicNotes generating meeting summaries. These tools help staff save time and improve services for residents.”
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Joanna Wright (Lambridge, Green), who tabled the motion, emphasized the need for an ethics policy to guarantee that AI is applied “fairly, transparently, and with residents’ best interests at heart.” She expressed concern that AI, driven by large tech companies prioritizing profit, might overlook wellbeing.
Fellow Green councillor Saskia Heijltjes, who has an AI degree, acknowledged AI’s potential to enhance cost efficiency and service quality but insisted that ethical considerations—including transparency, fairness, and environmental impact—must be integrated.
The council ultimately passed the motion, though in an amended form proposed by the Liberal Democrat and Labour groups. The responsibility to develop an AI ethics framework has been assigned to a council scrutiny and policy development committee.
In February, the council earmarked £65,000 to expand AI applications. Mark Elliott (Lansdown, Liberal Democrat), cabinet member for resources, highlighted real benefits already observed. He shared testimonies from social care staff who reported significant time savings due to AI tools like MagicNotes—up to ten hours per week in adults’ social care and a 75% reduction in administrative time in children’s services.
Elliott also pointed out AI’s role in the council’s contact centre, where it helps summarise calls and speed up follow-up notes, enhancing resident responsiveness. He affirmed support for a committee to formalize ethical guidelines but noted that existing policies on data protection and responsible tech use, including AI, are already in place.