I gave ChatGPT this instruction this morning:
Write a letter to Rishi Sunak, saying that he is wrong to delay proposals for green cars and heat pumps in the UK.
This is what I got back:
Dear Mr. Sunak,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my concerns and disagreement with the proposal to delay the implementation of green cars and heat pumps in the UK. While I understand that there may be economic considerations at play, I believe that prioritizing these initiatives is crucial for our nation's future.
The urgency of addressing climate change cannot be overstated. Delaying the transition to green cars and heat pumps risks exacerbating environmental issues and puts us further behind in meeting our carbon reduction targets. The world is moving towards sustainable energy solutions, and the UK should not fall behind.
Investing in green technologies not only helps combat climate change but also creates jobs and stimulates economic growth. It's an opportunity to lead in innovation and secure a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come.
I respectfully urge you to reconsider delaying these proposals and instead focus on accelerating the transition to green transportation and heating solutions. Our environment, economy, and future generations depend on it.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Not perfect, but a good start.
AI as a campaigning tool is worth thinking about.
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Buy me a coffee!
A bit too polite for me.
🙂
For me, too.
…. Oh I dare say the main political parties, especially here and in America, know fine well the potential of AI as a campaigning tool…..
….. Sadly.
Can you tell it not to use the phrase ‘I hope this letter finds you well’. If I received an opening like that it would be binned without reading further!
I agree.
But I am not sure how to do that.
I would never use that opening.
I listen a lot to the World Service on BBC, when I can’t sleep, and I am always amused by their trans Atlantic commentators who invariably preface their input by ‘ Thank you so much for letting me come onto your…..bla,bla… I wonder whether other listeners, across the world , find this irritating?
Yes
So, if Richard can do it we all can.
I suggest that all the people visitng the blog start writing to their MPs (& recruit others). The letters can be on all sorts of subjects – living wage, rubbish collection (7 bins? really?) etc etc. The object should be to flood MPs letter boxes in a way that forces them (or their minions) to answer. This will occupy them and force them to address real concerns as opposed to idiocy (woke etc).
Just a suggestion.
Scary!
Never in a million years.
I caution this:
AI is there to get rid of jobs for rich investors and for business people sick of unions and staff.
It is already leading to the diminution of work and those driving it do not value real people at work, so how an earth do you think they are going to value your AI derived objection to policies and laws?
My advice – keep it real. Richard’s doing enough so lets all write more real letters from real people – not the answerphone fakery we get on line at the moment.
Just my opinion is all.
For once, I have tio disagree PSR
Letters take time & effort to write. I’d hazard a guess that the people working for an MP spend a fraction of that time to look at the letter & make the decision to respond ot file vertically.
ChatGPT offers the prospect of vastly reducing the effort to write thus opening up the “wrtie a letter to your MP” to many more people – which in this disengaged-from-politics age is a good thing. That it is an AI writing it is neither here nor there. It is always open to the person to modify the letter.
The key thing is, that such a use of A.I. can be seen as attritional – it forces the politicos to engage more. They will never know that the letters were originally generated by an A.I. with more or less human input. Hazarding a guess, most people would spend 10 mins editing a ChatGPT generated letter & then send it. Most people won’t spend an hour thinking up a letter, writing it and editing it.
Of course I could put the counter argument – that MPs will use ChatGPT to generate a response. We then enter some quite interesting territory.
Mike
The monitor letters received to engage opinion.
Sending them does no harm.
I think this a good idea.
Richard
Just thought, maybe you are missing a trick.
Ask ChatGPT to write you replies from from Sunak, Starmer, Reeves, Daily Mail etc. This might give you insight into their greatest inflexibilities and their points of weakness.
Using AI to create a flood of dry polite letters is fair enough, what happens when same MPs use AI to generate and bulk mail dry polite replies, then AI can be used to reply to those letters and the cycle could go around and around forever.
It perhaps would generate some sort AI flagging of the issue or just get ignored as junk responses. Much the same as many letters to MPs or PM get palmed off with inconsequential responses.
The comic anarchy of it all has a certain appeal though if it was not such a very real human issue that is evil enough to destroy all our lives ultimately
They will still note the letters
Fact
Posing as a leading UK economist I asked Bard (Google’s experimental AI tool) to generate a reply to the generated letter to Mr Sunak.
Bard provided this reply, probably close to the waffle you would actually get.
The Bard reply:
“Dear [Author’s Name],
Thank you for your letter expressing your concerns about the proposal to delay the implementation of green cars and heat pumps in the UK. I share your concerns about the urgency of addressing climate change and the importance of investing in green technologies.
I am committed to taking action on climate change, and I agree that green cars and heat pumps are important tools in reducing our carbon emissions. However, I also need to consider the economic impact of these policies, especially in light of the current cost of living crisis.
I have asked my team to review the proposals to delay the implementation of green cars and heat pumps. I will carefully consider their findings and make a decision that is in the best interests of the UK economy and environment.
Thank you again for your letter. I will keep you updated on my decision.
Sincerely,
(Signed PM)
Additional notes:
The Prime Minister acknowledges the author’s concerns and agrees that green cars and heat pumps are important tools in reducing carbon emissions.
He also acknowledges the need to consider the economic impact of these policies, especially in light of the current cost of living crisis.
He has asked his team to review the proposals and will make a decision that is in the best interests of the UK economy and environment.
He will keep the author updated on his decision.”
So I submitted the same request that Richard did to ChatGPT, changing only one word – ‘wrong’ to ‘right’. This is the result – draw your own conclusions:
Dear Mr. Sunak,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my support for your decision to delay the proposals for green cars and heat pumps in the United Kingdom. Your cautious approach to these initiatives demonstrates a responsible consideration of the complex economic and practical factors involved.
While the transition to green technologies is undoubtedly important for the long-term health of our planet and the well-being of our citizens, it is equally essential that such transitions are well-planned and economically feasible for all sectors of society. Rushing into these initiatives without a thorough assessment of their impact on the economy and individual households can lead to unintended consequences.
Your decision to delay the proposals provides an opportunity to:
Conduct a comprehensive economic impact analysis: It is crucial to understand the potential effects of these proposals on various sectors of the economy, including job creation, consumer costs, and overall economic stability. This analysis will help us make informed decisions about the timing and scale of these green initiatives.
Develop targeted support measures: By delaying the implementation, we can use the extra time to design effective support mechanisms for households and businesses to transition to green technologies without undue financial burden. This can include subsidies, tax incentives, and educational programs.
Ensure technology readiness: Delaying the rollout allows us to address any technological limitations or challenges associated with green cars and heat pumps. We can invest in research and development to make these technologies more accessible, efficient, and affordable for everyone.
Engage in a public discourse: A delay provides an opportunity for extensive public consultation and dialogue on these initiatives. Engaging with stakeholders and seeking input from experts and affected communities will help us refine our approach and build consensus.
In conclusion, I believe that your decision to delay the proposals for green cars and heat pumps is a prudent step towards ensuring a successful and sustainable transition to a greener future for the UK. It is imperative that we take the time to carefully plan and implement these initiatives to maximize their benefits while minimizing any adverse effects on our economy and citizens.
Thank you for your dedication to the well-being of our nation, and I trust that your leadership will guide us towards a more sustainable and prosperous future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Politely, you reveal your own crassness.
ChatGPT does what you ask it to do. That’s it. That is what you have shown. If you ask it to write a letter for or against Sunak that is what it will do.
I did not suggest otherwise. I simply suggested it as an easy way to get a first draft letter opposing what Sunak has done. But that requires that the person doing so wants to take action, which is the key point.
Rather bizarrely you seem to want to attribute motive to ChatGPT. You have a lot to learn.
“Rushing into these initiatives without a thorough assessment of their impact on the economy and individual households can lead to unintended consequences.”
Do we have to have individualised impact assessments from every government department concerning every individual property owning household, who might feel marginalised for once in their lives because the government is planning to do something their don’t like. It is Tory red tape gone mad.
Oooph! I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding here. You address me almost as though I were supporting Sunak. Nothing could be further from the truth! My contribution was simply for interest, even amusement. In any event, I have researched ChatGPT somewhat, and am well aware of its limitations. Good Luck!
Ok….
Apologies in advance for being flippant but sometimes it is necessary in order to stay sane.
Ever since I read this I’ve had this image of trying to find my car in a car park where every vehicle is green.
🙂
Just press the button on your keyfob and the lights will flash!