 Heading into Christmas, there was an early 'gift' from OpenAI this month with the release of a new model, ChatGPT. You can read their blog post here and it gives you the detail on how it works, what it does and how it can be used. It is extraordinarily clever and a powerful tool that can be used in a myriad of ways - but, as my motto remains - just because we can, doesn't mean we should. I've covered the ethics of AI and its application many times over the years and as the capability of tools such as ChatGPT increases, so too do the ethical challenges. Question is, will ChatGPT be on Santa's naughty or nice list this Christmas? Will people opt for the lazy route of generating content (which will mean a world where algorithms chat to each other but we don't) or will practitioners realise they are at a point of evolution for the profession where they can be eliminated by the tactical or elevated by wise counsel? Jury will be out on that for a while - meantime, Happy Christmas - ChatGPT had this to say on the season when I asked it to describe and explain Christmas (which it did in less than a second):
"Christmas is a holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is typically celebrated on December 25th by Christians around the world and is considered to be one of the most important holidays in the Christian faith. The holiday is often marked by religious services, the exchange of gifts, and the decoration of homes and churches with festive decorations, such as Christmas trees, lights, and mistletoe. Many people also celebrate Christmas by preparing special meals and gathering with friends and family. The holiday has also been adopted by many non-religious people as a cultural celebration, and is often associated with secular traditions such as Santa Claus, gift-giving, and the singing of Christmas carols." However you celebrate - enjoy the season.  It’s been quite the year. We’ve been in and out of lockdown, Auckland and Northland have had weathered more restrictions than most and it would be fair to say everyone is feeling a little worn out by it all.
There’s been some resistance to the shift from the initial alert level system to the ‘traffic light’ system and, as we head towards Christmas, public health communication has become a little scrappier. I find myself baffled by the easing of restrictions elsewhere in the world, particularly as new variants emerge and infection rates spike and I genuinely hope that the initial clarity of communication we experienced here in Aotearoa returns so people continue to understand the vital part they play in the protection of others. That said, I hope that everyone who has been working so very hard throughout the pandemic has the opportunity to rest and recharge in the weeks ahead, take a breath and enjoy the summer. Thank you for all you do - and Happy (hopefully COVID-free) Christmas. |
About Think ForwardThink Forward is written by Catherine Arrow. It answers PR questions, highlights practice trends - good and bad - and suggests ways forward for professional public relations and communication practitioners. Archives
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