ChatGPT, Other Chatbots Approved For Official Use In the Senate (nytimes.com)
(Friday March 13, 2026 @11:30PM (BeauHD)
from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong dept.)
- Reference: 0180974958
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/03/13/2111234/chatgpt-other-chatbots-approved-for-official-use-in-the-senate
- Source link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/us/politics/us-senate-chatgpt-ai-chatbots.html
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times:
> A top Senate administrator on Monday [1]gave aides the green light to use three artificial intelligence chatbots for official work , a reflection of how widespread the use of the products has become in workplaces around the globe. The chief information officer for the Senate sergeant-at-arms, who oversees the chamber's computers as well as security, said in a one-page memo reviewed by The New York Times that aides could use Google's Gemini chat, OpenAI's ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, which is already integrated into Senate platforms.
>
> Copilot "can help with routine Senate work, including drafting and editing documents, summarizing information, preparing talking points and briefing material, and conducting research and analysis," the memo said. The document later added that "data shared with Copilot Chat stays within the secure Microsoft 365 Government environment and is protected by the same controls that safeguard other Senate data."
It's unclear how widely AI is used in the Senate or how widespread it might become, as individual offices and committees set their own rules. The chamber has also not publicly released comprehensive guidance on chatbots, the report notes.
In contrast, the House has [2]clearer policies allowing the general use of AI for limited internal tasks but restricting it from sensitive data or for being used for deepfakes and certain decision-making activities.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/us/politics/us-senate-chatgpt-ai-chatbots.html
[2] https://www.popvox.org/blog/house-senate-ai#:~:text=Generally%20Permissible:%20Uses%20that%20do,whose%20practical%20meaning%20is%20unclear).
> A top Senate administrator on Monday [1]gave aides the green light to use three artificial intelligence chatbots for official work , a reflection of how widespread the use of the products has become in workplaces around the globe. The chief information officer for the Senate sergeant-at-arms, who oversees the chamber's computers as well as security, said in a one-page memo reviewed by The New York Times that aides could use Google's Gemini chat, OpenAI's ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, which is already integrated into Senate platforms.
>
> Copilot "can help with routine Senate work, including drafting and editing documents, summarizing information, preparing talking points and briefing material, and conducting research and analysis," the memo said. The document later added that "data shared with Copilot Chat stays within the secure Microsoft 365 Government environment and is protected by the same controls that safeguard other Senate data."
It's unclear how widely AI is used in the Senate or how widespread it might become, as individual offices and committees set their own rules. The chamber has also not publicly released comprehensive guidance on chatbots, the report notes.
In contrast, the House has [2]clearer policies allowing the general use of AI for limited internal tasks but restricting it from sensitive data or for being used for deepfakes and certain decision-making activities.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/us/politics/us-senate-chatgpt-ai-chatbots.html
[2] https://www.popvox.org/blog/house-senate-ai#:~:text=Generally%20Permissible:%20Uses%20that%20do,whose%20practical%20meaning%20is%20unclear).
Excellent (Score:2)
by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )
Now we will know which senator uses Gemini, they'll end every statement of theirs with a question.
Can't be worse (Score:2)
Can't be worse than their regular work output. Who knows, we might accidentally even get a law proposed that benefits someone besides the ultra-rich. (I know, I know, but I can dream, can't i?)
Re: Can't be worse (Score:2)
Yeah seems like a tool for generating words without any understanding of what it's generating would be able to replace a lot of the senate... not sure we'd notice.
Re: (Score:2)
We will, I've found the chatbots to be generally indifferent to money and pork, and that they tend to "speak" as if the cliches they line up matter.
Plus, they are fairly articulate with their bullshit.
The way things are at the moment, we'll be able to tell if it is a real politician from a chatbot easily.