TOKYO — A fledgling Japanese political party, The Path to Rebirth, has announced plans to install artificial intelligence as its new leader following the resignation of its founder, Shinji Ishimaru, after disappointing election results.
Ishimaru, a former mayor from western Japan, stunned observers in 2024 when he finished second in the Tokyo gubernatorial race, largely propelled by a viral online campaign. However, the momentum fizzled out as the party failed to secure a single seat in subsequent elections, prompting his resignation.
On Tuesday, party officials revealed that AI will take over the leadership role, in what could be a first in global politics.
“The new leader will be AI,” declared 25-year-old Koki Okumura, a Kyoto University doctoral student in AI research, during a press conference. Okumura, who won an internal contest to succeed Ishimaru, will serve as the nominal head while supporting the AI system.
According to Okumura, the artificial intelligence will not control the political stances of party members, who remain free to set their own agendas. Instead, the AI will handle practical decisions, such as how to allocate resources among candidates.
Despite its bold experiment, the Path to Rebirth has yet to taste electoral success. All 42 of its candidates lost in the Tokyo assembly elections in June, and all 10 contenders in the July upper house race also failed to win seats.
Still, the party’s unconventional move has sparked global intrigue, raising questions about whether AI could play a legitimate role in the future of democratic leadership.
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