Introducing Romania’s “world’s first” AI advisor to the government.

Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă of Romania presented his Cabinet to Ion, a new “honorary adviser” that automatically gathers Romanian citizens’ thoughts and preferences through artificial intelligence.

The first government advisor to apply artificial intelligence on a national and worldwide scale is Ion, a product of Romanian researchers. Romanians can submit their ideas via social media, an associated website, and some physical locations.

Ion will compile their input so that the government can take it into account. Customers won’t hear back from Ion directly.

Sebastian Burduja, the minister of research and innovation, clarified that Ion will examine the data it gets and compile reports regarding the priorities of Romanians. Ciucă emphasized that in order to maintain “close and timely” contact, residents and the government should see involvement as a “obligation.”

But Kris Shrishak, a technology fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, questioned how Ion will decide which communications are important enough to prioritize.