Labour MP Mike Reader was seen using the popular AI application by a fellow traveller. MPs have been urged to be cautious as they embrace the new technology.
An MP has been spotted on a train using ChatGPT to respond to constituents’ correspondence, the Mirror can reveal.
A fellow passenger, who previously worked in Parliament, noticed that Northampton South MP Mike Reader had his laptop open and recognised he was using a software programme called “Caseworker” which is widely used in the House of Commons by MPs and their staff. They were surprised to see potentially sensitive information being accessed in a public place but the onlooker was further alarmed as Mr Reader copied and pasted emails from constituents into ChatGPT and then prompting the AI programme on how to respond.
The source said: “He was copying the entire constituent email into ChatGPT, and then asking ChatGPT to respond. I couldn’t believe it. ChatGPT to reply to constituents. How lazy is that? You can see ChatGPT giving a response starting with ‘Thank you for raising your deep concerns about the situation in Gaza’.” In the notes on Caseworker, Mr Reader allegedly wrote: “ChatGPT generated. Mike approved.”
Mr Reader’s signature – “Mike Reader, Labour MP for Northampton South” – is visible in the emails he was writing, along with a distinctive watch on his right wrist. Our source then saw him getting off the train at the end of the journey. This happened on a Chiltern Railways journey into London Marylebone on one Sunday evening last month. The source added: “In my former MP’s office, we would never have been allowed to do that. Even responding to constituents on a public train… We would have got slaughtered.”
We understand that Mr Reader was using a privacy screen, designed to reduce the angle at which the words are visible, while he was on the train. We also understand Mr Reader and his staff “occasionally” use “closed AI” to draft correspondence but that no personal details are shared with external systems and all emails are checked for accuracy. Closed AI is not publicly accessible and has better privacy and security than “open AI” systems.
A spokesperson for Mike Reader MP said: “Like all MPs, Mr Reader receives a high volume of correspondence from constituents and he prides himself on responding in a timely manner. Mr Reader takes his responsibilities seriously when it comes to handling constituents’ data and abides by the relevant data protection legislation.”
Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Digital Service issued “Artificial Intelligence Guidance for Members”. It noted: “Some Members are already exploring how AI can help them to carry out their Parliamentary duties more effectively. Others will prefer to proceed more slowly. We hope that all Members will find the guidance valuable in navigating what is a complex and fast-moving field.”
It warned that there were “both opportunities and risks” from AI and that politicians should “keep a human in the loop” and check for accuracy. The January 2025 guidance also suggested data entered into AI tools could be sold to third parties and used to train other AI models.
Mr Reader formerly worked for construction firm Mace and was elected MP in July 2024, defeating the sitting Tory MP. His expenses claims show that his office uses Caseworker, paying £600 to set it up in August 2024 along with an annual fee of £1,440. He has claimed for rent on a property in London since October, along with £54,000 worth of office and staffing costs.
ChatGPT is a conversational AI chatbot created by US firm OpenAI, which can be used to generate various types of written content, including articles, social media posts and emails. The Caseworker software is not AI and the company behind claims it is used by “thousands” of elected representatives to “speed up their daily work”.