Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
The campaign supporting Scott Wiener for Congress has launched a new interactive, parody AI chatbot that poses as rival candidate Connie Chan, and mocks her stances and votes on various issues.
The bot, dubbed ConnieChan.ai, just launched this week, as KRON4 reports, and it’s a fairly simple gimmick that resembles chatbots like Claude or ChatGPT, responding to questions or to various suggested prompts about hot-button topics like “Blocking Housing” or “Derailing Public Transit.” The tagline at the top, “Let’s do nothing together.”
Clicking on the public transit prompt, the bot responds with, “I do love a good delay, and I’ve truly made an *impact* on our city’s ability to move people around efficiently.” It then suggests four subtopics, including “Making Buses Slower,” and if you click on that, the AI Connie discusses how she voted to block a proposed bus rapid-transit (BRT) lane on Geary Boulevard, like the one we have on Van Ness.
On the topic of “Silencing Live Music,” the bot points to an SF Standard article and highlights how, three years ago, Chan “tried to sabotage Outside Lands by playing games with its permits,” and also how Chan voted against turning the Castro Theatre into a music venue. (To be fair, many of SF’s progressives stood on the side of the “don’t remove the seats” crowd who feared the theater would never be used to screen movies again.)
If you try to ask a question that is not related to any of the suggested prompts, like about homelessness, the bot just steers you back to the prompts, saying things like, “Homelessness is indeed a pressing issue, but I’m afraid my particular expertise lies in the finer points of obstruction across other domains — I’m simply not equipped to share my record on that one.”
Chan was a well-known “no” vote on banning cars from JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, and the bot also highlights a dustup, documented on Reddit, over Chan staring at her phone during a public-comment session at the Board of Supervisors on that topic.
The mocking chatbot is being released just as we saw new poll numbers last week (in a poll commissioned by Chan’s campaign) that put Chan just five percentage points behind Wiener.
A San Francisco political provocateur appears to be linked to a van emblazoned with a critical message about Saikat Chakrabarti, who’s running to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congress. https://t.co/NqWE1MrQsv
And the jokey nature of the chatbot stunt has the hallmarks of political consultant Conor Johnston, who was linked to an April stunt involving a minivan that was being parked around town bearing the message, “Where does Saikat live? Saikat lives in Maryland.” That stunt took aim at accused carpetbagging political candidate Saikat Chakrabarti, who lost his primary bid to Chan and Wiener.
A very similar stunt involving a sedan that looks like a yellow taxicab, with the same sort of banner mounted on its roof, was seen parked next to Dolores Park last week with the message, “Connie Chan Opposes Everything” — essentially the same message being promoted by the AI chatbot.
So, the negative campaigning has begun! And it’s barely August. We’re certainly in for plenty more.
Related: Connie Chan Gains Momentum, Trails Closely Behind Scott Wiener In Race For Congress
Top image: San Francisco Supervisor and congressional candidate Connie Chan speaks at a “Get Out the Vote” rally on May 29, 2026 in San Francisco, California. U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan to fill her seat representing California’s 11th Congressional District. (Photo by Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images)
A manager from Stockton was training employees at a new In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, when she was killed, along with two others, by a gunman who opened fire in the restaurant, and seven others were wounded.
Several Muni lines will see increased frequency during peak periods at the end of the month, along with a few routes seeing shorter wait times, longer buses, and stop changes.
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Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years.
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