Some Kansas lawmakers use AI chatbots in the Statehouse — with no guidelines on responsible use

Popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT have made their way into everyday use, including in the halls of power. (Zane Irwin / Kansas News Service) Share this post or save for later The Kansas News Service interviewed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about their use of AI chatbots in the legislative process. There are no restrictions on lawmakers using ChatGPT, Claude and other services. TOPEKA — In a February committee meeting, Republican Rep. Sean Willcott of Holton told fellow lawmakers he had used artificial intelligence to help write some of his remarks on the meeting’s topic: artificial intelligence. “I use AI on a regular basis,” Willcott said. “I used AI to help write some of these components.” Willcott is far from the only lawmaker who has used AI chatbots for Statehouse work. With technology improving, and legislative sessions becoming increasingly fast-paced, more and more Kansas legislators are using chatbots to keep up. The Kansas News Service interviewed several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about their use of tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot in the legislative process. Some said they had used chatbots to summarize a bill ahead of a hearing or vote. Others said the tools helped provide quick background information on issues they weren’t familiar with. Yet Kansas lawmakers are still without a clear set of guidelines on how — or if — they should use AI chatbots in their day-to-day activities. There are no rules against lawmakers employing bot...