By Brad Flynn
Technology is great, especially in the public sector. It’s only going to get better with time. And it needs to be used responsibly. So, when it comes to the advancements of things like Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, don’t be fooled!
AI has entered our culture in the form of OpenAI’s ChatGTB, and Google’s Bard. There are even imaging AI tools where you can create doctored renditions of just about anything your mind can hatch. My wife thinks it’s hilarious to create images of Darth Vader dressed as Santa Claus serving lattes in a Star Bucks. You can literally create anything with these AI tools.
Same goes for OpenAIs. Here again, my wife asked one of these AI tools to create an essay on the Great Gatsby. Within seconds, she had a college-try lengthy essay on the subject. She asked it to provide more information on the main character. Boom. Just like that, her essay grew more towards an ‘A+’ paper. At least she thought so.
I’ve heard from a colleague who used AI (as an experiment) to help write a wedding speech. It would generate a speech in a matter of seconds. My colleague would tweak it, asking for a more sentimental tone. AI would return a tearful result. At least my colleague thought so.
Powerful stuff! And scary.
It’s fun to have AI create alternate realities or maybe to help you get started with a writing project. But we need to remember that AI technology must be respected. You cannot rely solely on what it produces. It can create hallucinations and replace facts with its own brand of fiction. The borough’s OpenGov partner writes, in an article: AI fabrications are serious, and you need to be aware of it, especially in the public sector.
Take for example, the recent case of a New York law firm that attempted to file a federal lawsuit affidavit using AI. Yeah, it didn’t go well. The opposing attorneys completely discredited the affidavits legal points, which (the AI Chatbot) cited case law and trials that never existed. The judge in the case was furious. The law firm of the lawyers suffered massive embarrassment. And the lawyers who did this are now facing charges of professional misconduct.
Just this year, the borough has experienced instances of suspected Chatbot use by an individual filing, at least in part, a fictitious position statement with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The case stems from an individual’s right-to-know request (freedom of information). If the borough denies the request on legal grounds, the individual may use AI to generate an appeal with the state on non-existent right-to-know case law or precedent.
It’s extremely dangerous. Why? Because in the example above with the borough, or any local government in general, it becomes very costly.
Right-to-know with governmental agencies typically involve lawyers to review matters. When appeals to the state are filed in such cases, the agency’s attorney will examine the rules for withholding certain records under the right-to-know law and essentially file legal briefs with a Reviewer (a state appointed attorney) of the Office of Open Records. It is a quasi-judicial process. The legal expenses can pile on. Even if the agency’s attorney has to sort through an appellant’s position statement of fabricated falsehoods and non-existent case law. It is time consuming and costly.
The same goes for social media. One could use AI to create a post about someone, something, or some agency which is a complete fabrication of history, experiences, or events. This is where good old fashion fact checking and doing your homework is crucial.
Technology is meant to help us. AI is meant to build in productivity. But beware. Do your own research. Verify the text, facts, and figures. Source material wherever you can. Challenge your own intelligence against AI. If you don’t, AI will surely have you fooled.
