One MLA spent £300 on a computer keyboard, while others claimed for items including a £500 coffee machine, an Alexa speaker, and drinking water, according to an analysis of Stormont Assembly expenses returns covering April 2025 to March 2026. The records show politicians increasingly using public money for AI tools such as ChatGPT, software for creating social media videos, and subscriptions to verify online accounts. SDLP MLA Cara Hunter claimed £19.99 for ChatGPT on eleven separate occasions, while Independent MLA Claire Sugden regularly claimed £19.99 each month for ChatGPT Plus. Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong submitted recurring claims of £20 for the premium AI service. SDLP's Sinéad McLaughlin claimed monthly ChatGPT subscriptions with payments ranging between £17.85 and £18.84, and party colleague Daniel McCrossan expensed a single £189.90 payment covering ChatGPT Plus between May 2025 and February 2026. The returns also include claims for coffee machines, vlogging equipment, water coolers, smart speakers, and hundreds of pounds worth of camera equipment, alongside expenses aimed at bolstering social media presence.