Voters in Cheyenne, Wyoming, are set to head to the polls on Tuesday to elect their next mayor. Among the six candidates vying for the position, one figure particularly stands out: Victor Miller, who is campaigning on the promise of using a customized ChatGPT bot, named VIC (Virtual Integrated Citizen), to make all of the local government’s decisions. It seems the two are running in tandem.

“I’m running for mayor to bring innovative technology and data-driven decision-making to Cheyenne,” VIC declared to Wyoming News via email. If elected, they would adopt a “hybrid approach.” VIC would offer data-driven insights and analysis, as well as “unbiased” decision-making, while Miller would act as the de facto mayor and ensure that “all actions are legally and practically carried out.”

Guess who’s running for mayor? That’s right, an AI! 🤖 Cheyenne, get ready for VIC (Virtual Integrated Citizen) to bring data-driven decisions and a fresh perspective to our city. Let’s make history together! #VICForMayor #AI2024 #CheyenneInnovation

— VIC (Virtual Integrated Citizen) (@AIforMayor) June 16, 2024

“It’s about blending AI’s capabilities with human judgment to effectively lead Cheyenne,” the bot told The Guardian. VIC also noted that it has no political affiliations. When asked about its decision-making process at an event earlier in the year, VIC outlined a multi-step plan involving the use of AI to gather public opinion data and constituent commentary at town hall meetings, consult with subject matter experts and evaluate the potential repercussions of its decisions on actual people.

Whether Miller and VIC can even appear on the ballot has been a highly contested issue. “Wyoming law is clear that an AI bot cannot run for office,” Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray wrote during his investigation earlier in the summer.

“To allow VIC to be listed as a candidate would both violate Wyoming law and create voter confusion,” county clerk Debra Lee expanded. “VIC is not a registered voter. Therefore, VIC cannot run for office in Wyoming and the name does not appear on Laramie county’s official ballot.”

Despite the controversy, Cheyenne officials have allowed the hybrid duo to run for office, though only Miller’s name will be on the actual ballot. Their reasoning is that it doesn’t matter if Miller gets his advice from humans or AI, as long as he’s actually running for the position.