Oh, the irony! Lawyers and other professionals using AI to slack off at work are getting a dose of reality when they realize that ChatGPT, a product of OpenAI, isn’t the flawless, time-saving tool they thought it was. It turns out AI isn’t quite ready to replace human creativity and oversight just yet.
Take the case of a lawyer who used ChatGPT to compile a legal brief and ended up with half-a-dozen bogus cases. Or when Roni Rosenfeld, a professor of machine learning at Carnegie Mellon University, tried to get GPT4 (a premium version of the AI software) to write a poem for his wife but had to coax it endlessly just to follow his instructions.
Sure, AI can solve problems, write memos, and even help with stock-picking – but it’s also riddled with errors, biases, and cultural tropes. So, beware the seductive lure of AI-generated content, lest you find yourself in trouble for discrimination, inaccuracies, or downright laziness.
But let’s not throw the AI baby out with the bathwater. MarketWatch columnist Peter Morici believes that ChatGPT and its rivals will continue to evolve, eventually becoming useful tools to help draft briefs, write code, and even assist with creative processes. It has already passed tough graduate exams and helped a dyslexic businessman communicate more clearly.
So, should you rely on AI like ChatGPT at work? Experts warn to tread carefully, even for simple tasks like writing or editing a memo. As Aram Sinnreich, co-author of “The Secret Life of Data,” puts it: “It’s a laziness alarm.” Using AI to generate professional output is a sign that the field has become repetitive and lacks authenticity.
On the other hand, some argue that there’s room for AI in limited circumstances. Luis A.N. Amaral, a professor at Northwestern University, points out that ChatGPT’s blandness can be an advantage for emotionally neutral communication or for those who struggle with objectivity.
So, where do we draw the line? Proceed with caution, dear reader. AI might save you time and effort, but it might also leave you red-faced, apologetic, and questioning your professional worth. Remember, whether it’s a legal brief or a love poem, there’s no substitute for human ingenuity, creativity, and authenticity.
