It was hailed as an AI assistant that can go to meetings for you – and soon it could be used to help MPs carry out their mounting workload.
Parliament’s digital services department (PDS) is undertaking a cost-benefit analysis of Microsoft’s CoPilot Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, which can draft your emails and take notes during calls – even if you’re not there.
That’s just a few of its ChatGPT-like features, including creating PowerPoint presentations and writing Word documents almost from scratch.
Labour MP Nick Smith, a member of the House of Commons Commission, has revealed that PDS is “actively exploring” its potential alongside other AI tools, to aid MPs and their staff manage day-to-day administrative activities and “carry out their constituency duties”.
It is not entirely clear what this could entail.
‘Two and a half days to sifle through emails’
But for Labour MP Chi Onwurah, a former shadow science minister with a background in tech, it’s all about improving productivity – not slacking off.
She told Sky News that it currently takes a member of her staff “two and half days of the week” to filter out increasing levels of hate mail, spam and lobby invitations from her inbox – when “she should be doing more exciting and interesting work”.
“It’s not a good use of her time, AI could be used for that,” she said.
The Newcastle MP spoke to Sky News just after deleting what she described as a “horrible email” – not an uncommon occurrence for members across the house who have reported rising levels of abuse.
Copilot will be baked into all of Microsoft’s Office apps. Pic: Microsoft
Ms Onwurah is concerned about constituency emails “getting lost” at a time when demand for support is increasing – particularly in areas like housing and benefits.
But she…
