From Larry Stoter, The Narth, Monmouthshire, UK
I have no problem with government ministers using artificial intelligence to inform themselves. It is positive that UK minister Peter Kyle has done so and explained some of the topics he has explored. It is vital to understand some of the limitations (22 March, p 10).
I have used ChatGPT and learned two important lessons. First, the question you ask it needs to be specific and detailed, including a requirement for references. Ask a short, vague question, such as “how can I reduce the number of UK civil servants?”, and it will almost certainly produce rubbish. Second, if your question is biased, the answer is likely to be so too. Asking “How can I reduce the number of UK civil servants?” presupposes that doing so is desirable – a bias. Much better, perhaps, to ask “In what ways might the cost effectiveness and efficiency of the UK civil service be improved?”
