French Candidate Alain Carignon Employs AI Voice Clone in Election Campaign
A right-wing candidate in France is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence in a novel approach to connect with voters ahead of the municipal elections in Grenoble, Isère. On Monday, Alain Carignon, a 76-year-old former mayor, unveiled a virtual assistant that mimics his own voice, offering constituents 24/7 access to information about his platform.
The innovative tool, demonstrated to an audience of over 800 people at the Stade des Alpes, allows voters to ask questions on key issues such as security, taxes, and housing. According to reports, Carignon even engaged in a dialogue with his AI counterpart during the event, showcasing the technology’s capabilities. A QR Code was distributed to attendees, providing direct access to the virtual assistant.
“Thanks to artificial intelligence, people in Grenoble can now question me all day, 24 hours a day, so that I can respond to the program,” Carignon explained, as reported by local news sources. The system requires users to provide their first and last name, as well as their telephone number, to access the service.
The virtual assistant operates as a generative artificial intelligence interface, responding to both spoken and written queries. It identifies itself as an AI and limits users to a maximum of eight questions per day. When questioned about issues like urban vandalism, the chatbot offered specific policy proposals. “We will strengthen the dedicated team, work to identify vandals, file complaints systematically and apply fines,” it stated when asked about the “proliferation of tags” in the city.
However, the AI assistant appears eager to maintain engagement, prompting users with messages like “Are you still there?” and “Are you still online?” even after brief pauses. This persistent interaction highlights the evolving nature of AI-driven communication and the challenges of creating a natural conversational flow.
Carignon is not the only candidate in Grenoble exploring the use of AI in the campaign. Hervé Gerbi, backed by the Horizons party, launched a website featuring a conversational robot last November, though his system only accepted written input. This demonstrates a growing trend of candidates utilizing AI to enhance voter outreach and engagement in the upcoming elections.
