Pelosi's AI Chatbot Criticism Draws Fire From Allies of Rival

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's condemnation of an AI chatbot used by a political rival has sparked backlash from female allies of that rival, who are calling the accusations "absurd" and "fake outrage." The controversy centers on a chatbot launched by California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat, to critique his opponent, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, in the race for Pelosi's former congressional seat.

Pelosi, who has endorsed Chan, criticized Wiener's AI creation, which was designed to mimic a voice that "says no to anything you ask." She called it a "gross misuse of technology" and "sexist," stating it reflected a "disturbing willingness to erase women's agency." Wiener subsequently took the chatbot offline.

However, prominent women in San Francisco politics have pushed back against Pelosi's assertions. Nancy Tung, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, described the reaction as "a lot of fake outrage" and suggested it was part of political maneuvering. Susie Tompkins Buell, a significant Democratic donor and advocate, labeled Pelosi's claims of sexism as "totally absurd," calling Wiener a "non-sexist, non-racist person" and suggesting Pelosi's actions were "careless and not appropriate and not true."

Buell further questioned Pelosi's motives, suggesting the former speaker's strong reaction was "rooted in pettiness" and a mystery to many. Wiener, while acknowledging the chatbot had become a distraction, stated the sexism claims were a "classic deflection."

The Chan campaign responded to the rally organized by Wiener's supporters by criticizing it as an attack on Pelosi rather than addressing grassroots criticism of the AI tool.

Pelosi has been actively involved in the race, with her endorsement of Chan proving crucial in the primary. Wiener and Pelosi have reportedly had a strained relationship, particularly after Wiener expressed interest in Pelosi's seat before her retirement announcement. Pelosi, speaking at a Politico event, stated her endorsement of Chan was driven by a desire to see more women in Congress.