Grappling with AI: How govts plan to deal with revolutionary tools like ChatGPT and Bard

Recently, an Indian government agency was struggling to handle the sheer volume of citizen queries that were flooding in each day. Enter ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by GPT-3 that can mimic human conversation with startling accuracy. Within days of its launch, the agency was able to handle four times as many queries compared to before, without the need for any additional staff. This is just one example of how AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard are revolutionising the way governments and public institutions operate.

Increasingly, governments around the world are realising the potential of AI to improve efficiency and streamline public services. For instance, the UK government has formed the AI Council, a group of experts who advise on how AI can best be implemented in public policy. Meanwhile, in South Korea, the government has launched an ambitious plan to make all public services available online by 2025, a feat that can only be achieved with the help of AI.

However, there are concerns that AI could also exacerbate existing inequalities and biases in public policy. For example, a study by ProPublica found that a risk assessment tool used in American courts to predict reoffending was twice as likely to wrongly label black defendants as high risk compared to white defendants. As a result, there are calls for greater oversight and regulation of AI tools in public policy.

Despite these concerns, the AI revolution shows no signs of slowing down. Companies like OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, and Google, which developed Bard, are at the forefront of this revolution, constantly pushing the boundaries of what AI can do.

In conclusion, AI is rapidly transforming the way governments and public institutions operate, offering exciting possibilities for greater efficiency and service delivery. However, it is crucial that governments take steps to ensure that AI is used ethically and fairly, without perpetuating existing inequalities. The key will be striking a balance between embracing the potential of AI while mitigating its risks.