Gaitana IA, an environmental advocate, uses big data and blockchain to represent indigenous communities, sparking debate on AI’s political role
As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms industries worldwide, a political experiment utilizing AI is underway in Colombia.
According to Colombian election authorities and local media on the 2nd, an AI avatar politician has emerged as a candidate in the Colombian general election to be held on the 8th. In Colombia, the general election on the 8th will elect 103 senators and 183 members of the House of Representatives, with approximately 3,100 candidates throwing their hats into the ring. Among them is an AI avatar politician.
In Colombia, out of 286 parliamentary seats, two Senate seats and one House seat are allocated to indigenous communities. In this indigenous quota constituency, an AI named **Gaitana, Gaitana, IA** has stepped forward as a candidate. IA stands for artificial intelligence in Spanish.
The Gaitana IA, unveiled on Instagram and X, is a female avatar with blue skin and traditional indigenous attire. The official website introduces Gaitana IA as an “environmental activist and animal rights advocate.”
Gaitana is the name of an indigenous leader from the 16th century in Colombia’s Huila region. Gaitana IA plans to collect citizens’ opinions through big data and algorithms and convert them into policy proposals. For example, if a specific bill is proposed in Congress, Gaitana IA will convert it into an infographic to share with indigenous communities. Once the community reaches a decision through discussions, Gaitana IA will compile these decisions and vote accordingly. The entire process is recorded using blockchain technology, enabling auditing and traceability.
Since AI cannot currently register as a direct candidate, human proxies have stepped forward: Carlos Redondo, the developer of Gaitana IA, registered as a Senate candidate, and Alba Luz Lincon, a sociologist co-leading the project, registered as a House candidate. If either of the two is elected, all legislative decisions will follow the consensus derived by Gaitana IA from residents. Currently, Gaitana IA operates on three small servers. System upgrades are necessary to enhance data security and gather diverse opinions.
The AI political experiment has sparked divided opinions. While some praise it as the beginning of a new digital politics enabling direct democracy, others criticize that AI decision-making may ultimately rely on a small group, leading to potential biases. There is also no social consensus yet on establishing verification systems for algorithmic transparency or determining legal and ethical responsibility in case of policy failures.
