Robots dance and electric cars meet voters: New wave in election campaigns in the AI era

In a novel approach to election campaigning, a candidate in South Korea's Gyeonggi Province has unveiled a humanoid robot performing synchronized dance routines in campaign videos. Jeon Seok-hoon, running for a Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly seat in Seongnam City's 3rd constituency, released footage featuring the AI-powered robot dressed in campaign attire, executing precise dance moves to music.

This marks the first known instance of a humanoid robot being utilized in an election campaign. The initiative is designed to visually convey Jeon's core campaign pledges: fostering the "physical AI industry" and revitalizing the "Seongnam High-Tech Valley." The robot's performance is intended to present a new vision for advanced election culture in South Korea.

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I wanted to show how future technology can be integrated into our lives and political arenas.

Due to restrictions in the Public Official Election Act, robots cannot be deployed in physical campaign settings. Consequently, Jeon's campaign opted to produce promotional videos showcasing the robot's capabilities. Jeon, a first-term provincial assembly member, has been a proponent of future industries, having spearheaded the introduction of innovative ordinances such as the "Gyeonggi Province AI Basic Ordinance" and the "Gyeonggi Province AI Startup Promotion and Support Ordinance."

The campaign aims to illustrate the arrival of the "acting physical AI" era, where AI assists human bodies and labor, extending its influence into public domains and daily life. This integration into election campaigning is seen as a demonstration of this technological advancement. The campaign also features an eco-friendly "EV6 campaign vehicle," a modified personal electric car, to reduce carbon emissions and share the burden of high fuel costs, reflecting a shift from traditional noisy and polluting campaign vehicles.

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I will not just talk about policies, but demonstrate solid technological capabilities and policy expertise to elevate the value of the region to a global level.