This guide records what every declared candidate from the five major Scottish parties has said — or not said — about AI safety, AGI, superintelligence, and existential risk, ahead of the Holyrood vote on Thursday 7 May. It is descriptive, not evaluative; where a candidate has no public record, that is stated plainly.
Part I · Who's taken a position
Manifestos are silent. Individual candidates need not be. Out of — declared candidates from the five major parties, the people listed below are the ones with a public AI-safety record — either by signing the ControlAI public statement, or by co-signing (or authoring) Holyrood motion S6M-13331 "Recognising the Dangers of Artificial Intelligence" (Emma Roddick, 7 October 2024).
Have publicly signed the ControlAI statement supporting AI-safety regulation.
Co-signed (or authored) the motion citing Geoffrey Hinton's warnings, the MIT finding on AI deception, and policymakers' duty to understand AI dangers.
Part II · Party positions
Five entries, in the order each party currently holds seats. Tap any entry to read the full assessment.
Part III · Find your ballot
Enter your postcode to see the candidates on your two ballot papers — one for your constituency MSP, one for your regional list.
Constituencies (73): each elects one MSP by First Past the Post.
Regional lists (8 regions, 7 each): each region elects 7 additional MSPs by proportional rep.
You get two votes: one for your constituency MSP, one for a regional party list.
Click any area to see candidates, or hover for a quick summary.
Part IV · Write to your candidate
Generate a personalised letter urging your candidates to take a public position on AI safety. Edit before sending.