MEP Candidate Dominik Hatiar, 25, Unveils First Political Chatbot in Slovakia

Bratislava, April 17 (TASR) - The first political chatbot in Slovakia was unveiled by MEP candidate for Progressive Slovakia-Together coalition Dominik Hatiar on Wednesday, TASR learnt on the same day. The youngest candidate running in the colours of the coalition thus intends to streamline his public communication while reaching out to the younger voters. He also wants to demonstrate that automation and robotisation must not necessarily be a threat, but could pose an opportunity for Slovakia. The chatbot will be available on his social network account and ready to field questions on how the EU operates and why it is important for Slovakia, as well as provide answers about the coalition programme-related issues and private life of Dominik Hatiar. It took three months to program the chatbot. Hatiar, 25, who proclaims he is the first truly digital MEP-to-be, maintains that the politically under-represented younger generation understands technology-centred challenges of the future better than older MEPs. "Our generation is not afraid of robots and perceives them as an opportunity for Slovak economic growth, so that our national economy develops from the position of a cheap labour force pool for foreign investors into a digitally innovative economy that creates new jobs and opportunities for everyone," said Hatiar. He believes that the most important equipment for people of the 21st century will be critical thinking and soft skills. mf/mcs/am