AI, Harassment: Former NJ Lt. Governor 'Cleared' by AI

Dale Caldwell, New Jersey's former lieutenant governor, left office on September 25th. His departure followed an internal investigation finding him guilty of sexually harassing a staffer. Quite a way to wrap up a political chapter, wouldn't you say?

Beyond the harassment accusations, Caldwell had also repeatedly violated ethics rules. After resigning, he didn't exactly retreat from public life. Instead, he started a media tour to clear his name, seeking justifications in some rather unusual places.

No, artificial intelligence cannot clear anyone of legal or ethical accusations, especially not in a sexual harassment case. Caldwell's claim, made during an interview on NJ PBS, is a highly questionable use of technology. It's like asking a toaster to preside over a trial.

The AI Caldwell mentioned is a language model, good at generating text or summarizing information, but certainly not an impartial judge. It has no access to evidence, testimonies, or the human context of a situation. Relying on an algorithm to "clean" a criminal record from such serious charges is, to say the least, naive.

Think about it: if an an AI could clear people, our justice system would be much more streamlined. And much more absurd. An AI model can "say" anything, even that the Earth is flat, if you ask it the right way. That doesn't make it truth. An algorithm doesn't truly understand human ethics or consent.