A parody chatbot created by California Sen. Scott Wiener to mock City Supervisor Connie Chung was removed on Friday after criticism from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who labeled it “sexist.”
Wiener’s chatbot, introduced earlier this week, aimed to poke fun at Chung, a Democrat who has Pelosi’s backing in the upcoming race for Pelosi’s seat in November.
The website for the chatbot styled itself as “the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything,” playing off criticisms that Chan is a progressive NIMBY who has resisted various housing proposals.
Chung’s campaign did not appreciate Wiener’s approach, and Pelosi later expressed her own discontent.
In a statement, Pelosi emphasized, “Women have fought for generations to have their voices heard in places of power. We don’t need to combat artificial intelligence that mimics our language.” She argued that using AI in this way undermines women’s voices and, given that Chan is a woman of color, intensifies racial stereotypes.
Wiener initially pushed back against Pelosi’s accusations, pointing out that his campaign clearly identified the chatbot as a parody. He criticized Pelosi’s stance on AI and defended the use of the chatbot as reflecting Chan’s shortcomings as a candidate.
However, in the end, Wiener opted to take down the chatbot, stating it had become more of a nuisance. “It clearly missed the point. The discourse shifted from key issues for San Franciscans to tactics,” he remarked.
Chan’s campaign responded, acknowledging Wiener’s right to oppose perceived discrimination but highlighting ongoing concerns regarding his character and judgment.
Prior to this incident, tensions existed between Pelosi and Wiener, particularly as Pelosi had hinted at her retirement plans and her interest in her seat long before the announcement. Pelosi endorsing Chan was interpreted as a direct rebuke to Wiener, despite him being the frontrunner in the primary.
