AI bots flooded 2023 UK government consultation on disposable vapes ban
A 2023 UK government consultation on the tobacco and vapes bill was flooded with machine-generated responses in an apparent coordinated effort to block the disposable vapes ban. Three-quarters of all consultation responses were AI-generated, though the effort ultimately failed to prevent the bill from becoming law. This incident represents the first known instance in the UK of AI being systematically used to attempt to derail health policy.
Key points
- 75% of consultation responses were machine-generated
- Coordinated attempt to prevent disposable vapes ban
- First known AI-driven effort to influence UK health policymaking
- Campaign ultimately failed to stop the legislation
Summary and key points written by AI from the headline and a short excerpt, so they can be incomplete or wrong. The Guardian Technology did the reporting; read the original for the full story.
Read the full story at The Guardian Technology
