From KUT News:
Robyn Land is a proud Christian Zionist. For three minutes at a recent Austin City Council meeting, she shared her thoughts about Israel’s war in Gaza.
Land called in Nov. 7, during a part of the meeting where residents can speak directly to council members – in person or virtually – about all sorts of things not on the agenda.
But something about the call seemed off.
Land’s accent sounded a little put on. She didn’t stumble or use filler words like “ah” and “um.” And then she mentioned artificial intelligence.
“I am so glad that our side is finally getting organized here in Austin and we have started using an AI software to sign people up, because now we will be able to take all the spots going forward,” Land said, referring to the number of spots available during public comment.
It was not clear if “Land” was even a real person.
Council members wondered if the call was AI-generated, raising questions about how the city can ensure real people are getting a chance to have their voices heard.
Rigging the system
To speak during this segment of a City Council meeting — known as general public communication — residents must register online or by calling the Austin City Clerk’s office. Just 10 people are allowed to speak, and the clerk usually accepts the first 10 people who sign up.
Sidney Hollingsworth, an Austin-based data analyst, examined months of City Council meeting data and found those slots often fill quickly, sometimes within minutes.
That makes the process of signing up competitive. And if people are using AI to do it, she said, that’s unfair.
Hollingsworth said the focus on whether the call was AI-generated is taking away from “the real scandal,” which is “using automation to rig the system and box people out from participating in one of the few opportunities to speak directly to council.”
There are many ways residents can reach their council members. But these weekly meetings are one of the most direct ways to address them.
Sherri Greenberg, an expert on AI ethics and policies, said the city will have to adjust as the technology changes.
“Going about these things methodically is very important,” said Greenberg, an assistant dean for state and local government engagement at UT’s LBJ School. “Will you be 100% ever [able to prevent AI-generated calls], probably not. But are you 100% with humans right now? No.”
Is there a solution?
So what’s a city like Austin to do to prevent bots from clogging up the public comment system?
Hollingsworth believes one of the quickest solutions is adding those “I’m not a robot” boxes to the end of the sign-up form.
“It’s not a perfect solution whatsoever as there’s problems with those captchas themselves,” she said. But it could provide another layer of verification.
In a written statement, Mayor Kirk Watson said the city is looking at how to keep public comment accessible and “prevent abuse by those using changing technology.”
For now, he said, the city is doing its best to make sure all residents who want to speak before council have a chance to do so.
