Nick Suplina, Senior Vice President of Law and Policy at Everytown for Gun Safety, discusses how the organization is harnessing AI to advocate for gun violence prevention. He shares insights about their innovative chatbot, "Ask Everytown," designed to provide factual answers about gun violence and combat misinformation. Suplina highlights the chatbot's potential to shift entrenched views and enhance public discourse on gun laws, all while navigating biases and ethical concerns in a highly polarized environment.
Everytown for Gun Safety's AI chatbot, Ask Everytown, aims to inform and persuade users on gun violence prevention effectively.
The organization is exploring broader AI applications to enhance data analysis and address potential biases in gun violence advocacy.
Deep dives
The Launch of Everytown's AI Lab
Everytown for Gun Safety has launched an AI lab to advance its advocacy for gun violence prevention. This initiative includes the introduction of an AI-powered chatbot known as Ask Everytown, which provides reliable information on gun violence statistics and policies. The chatbot is designed to engage users by answering questions such as identifying states with high rates of gun violence, and it emphasizes the correlation between weak gun laws and increased violence. This move signifies a shift in how advocacy groups can leverage technology to confront complex social issues.
The Persuasive Power of AI
The podcast discusses the potential of AI chatbots to change public attitudes regarding controversial subjects, including gun control. Research indicates that AI can effectively debunk misinformation and might be more persuasive than human advocates in some cases. Everytown's chatbot not only presents factual data but aims to foster a deeper understanding of gun violence as a solvable issue through common-sense solutions. By focusing on accuracy and a solid knowledge base, the organization hopes to build credibility and promote constructive dialogue around gun safety.
Future Ambitions and Challenges with AI
Everytown is exploring further applications of AI beyond the chatbot, anticipating improvements in data collection and analysis regarding gun violence. AI could enhance understanding by providing real-time data on violence patterns and helping to identify populations at risk. However, the organization remains aware of potential biases and privacy concerns tied to AI technologies and is committed to addressing these challenges in its development process. The ambition is to create not just tools for advocacy but also resources that meaningfully impact public awareness and policy reforms in gun violence prevention.
Everytown for Gun Safety is deploying artificial intelligence in the divisive debate over gun control. And its newly launched chatbot, “Ask Everytown,” will answer questions about gun violence prevention. But research shows AI not only has the power to inform people, but to persuade them — even people with entrenched political views. On POLITICO Tech, Everytown’s senior vice president of law and policy, Nick Suplina, joins host Steven Overly to discuss the advocacy group’s AI ambitions.