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Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has openly praised artificial intelligence, particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, revealing that he uses it while writing his books. However, it wasn’t just his endorsement of AI that caught attention – it was the way he pronounced “ChatGPT” and “AI” that has gone viral across social media.

Speaking to Al Arabiya English, Johnson described the platform as “frankly fantastic,” explaining how he uses it to write books, ask questions, and even enjoy the automated praise. He said, “You know the answer, but ChatGPT always says, ‘Oh, your questions are clever. You’re brilliant. You’re excellent. You have such insight.’ I love it.”

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His unusual delivery, part of his characteristic speech style, quickly became the highlight of the interview. Viewers were so captivated by his pronunciation that it overshadowed some of the points he was making about the technology’s potential. Reacting on X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote, “You won’t even realize as you'll be too distracted by how he pronounces "AI" and "ChatGPT"

Beyond the pronunciation quirks, Johnson praised AI for practical uses. He suggested it could streamline government processes and reduce costs, citing projects like HS2. “Most of the cost of that is going on lawyers, environmental assessments, and planning applications…so much of that can be done with AI,” he said. 

He also highlighted potential applications in healthcare and welfare, such as automating reminders for medicine and providing shopping assistance, which could help reduce the cost of care for older people and those with disabilities. “If you have automated systems that can engage with people and say, ‘Ah, Mrs. Miggins, it’s time for your pill,’ it can significantly ease the burden on caregivers and improve efficiency,” he added.

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While Johnson’s advocacy for AI and ChatGPT is clear, it’s the unusual way he delivers these terms that has captured the public’s imagination. Many took to social media to discuss it, creating memes and humorous posts, with jokes like, “Interviewer: why do you love AI? Boris: because it compliments me,” and “first world leader to fall victim to parasocial AI love and affirmation bias.”

The former Prime Minister, known for his humor and flamboyant style, has long combined serious statements with entertainment. Early in his journalism career, he was dismissed from The Times for making up quotes, and later faced political controversies, including the “£350 million to the EU” claim during Brexit. Now, his distinctive pronunciation has added a new, amusing layer to his public persona. [Rh/Eth/VP]

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