EBN-British technology minister Peter Kyle used the ChatGPT program to provide policy advice, according to New Scientist. The magazine obtained records of Kyle’s use under the Freedom of Information Act, marking the first global test of chatbot interactions’ compliance with this law.
Kyle inquired about the UK SME community’s slow adoption of AI, and ChatGPT provided a 10-point list of reasons, including limited awareness, regulatory and ethical concerns, and lack of government or institutional support.
Dealing challenges with a lack of resources and incentives
The UK government’s AI adoption initiatives face challenges due to SMEs being unaware of their importance or difficulty in engaging with them, and limited funding and incentives to mitigate risks, as reported by chatbot Kyle.
Regulatory and legal issues
The US government is using AI as a tool for efficiency, but it is not replacing the comprehensive advice received from officials. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can be a significant hurdle for SMEs, and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spokesperson, who heads the program, stated that the government is using AI as a tool for quick and safe use, with clear guidance provided to ensure compliance.
Concern around the use of podcasts
Kyle, the UK’s Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, utilized a chatbot to identify suitable podcasts for media appearances. GPT recommended The Infinite Monkey Cage and The Naked Scientists based on their listenership. Kyle also asked the chatbot to define terms like “antimatter,” “digital inclusion,” and “quantum” relevant to his ministry.
Two experts, Peter Knight of Imperial College London and Christian Bonato of Heriot-Watt University, have praised the quality of a program called ChatGPT for its responses to quantum definitions. Kyle used the program to understand the broader context of the innovation, its developers, and the institutions behind it.
The Department for Information and Communications Technology initially rejected a Freedom of Information request, but an enhanced request was approved, limiting requests to official capacity only.
ChatGPT, a chatbot, has been released under the Freedom of Information Act, raising questions about its legal precedent. Data protection expert Tim Turner believes it could be the first time chatbot interactions have been published under this Act.
This raises questions for governments with similar freedom of information laws, such as the United States, about whether ChatGPT is similar to email or WhatsApp chatbots, which have historically been subject to the Act.
