POLITICO: Former UK Prime Minister admits using ChatGPT to write books

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has openly admitted to using artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, to help write books, praising the large language model as “frankly fantastic” and expressing strong support for the technology’s potential.

Johnson — known for his flamboyant rhetoric and classical education from Oxford — declared his enthusiasm for AI tools, particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, POLITICO reports.

“I love AI. I love ChatGPT. I love it,” Johnson said, describing his frequent use of the platform. “I’m writing various books. I just use it. I just ask questions,” he admitted. “You know the answer but ChatGPT always says: ‘Oh, your questions are clever. You’re brilliant. You’re excellent. You have such insight.’”

The former prime minister’s remarks come as AI continues to reshape the publishing world and public discourse around intellectual authorship and originality. Johnson’s memoir, Unleashed, published last year, contained several headline-making revelations, and it is now understood that ChatGPT may have played a role in its creation.

“I love it. I see great promise in this technology because we’re all simple. We’re human beings,” Johnson added, suggesting that AI’s ability to simplify and streamline processes could prove transformative. He also proposed that AI could be used to dramatically reduce the cost of government and deliver savings for taxpayers.

Johnson, who led the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic, resigned from Parliament in 2023 amid allegations that he misled lawmakers about lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. Despite his exit from frontline politics, he did not completely rule out a return to political life.

“Statistically, anything can happen. But water can flow uphill — it’s unlikely,” he said. “I want my party to come back and to get organized. That’s the best solution.”

The Conservative Party, now led by Kemi Badenoch following a historic general election defeat in 2024, continues to trail heavily in the polls.

By Vafa Guliyeva