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Banning AI tools would only benefit the powerful

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Wednesday 24 May 2023 10:42 BST
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This technology is not overhyped and empowers most people
This technology is not overhyped and empowers most people (AP)

If the genie hasn't escaped too far out of the bottle, then banning or restricting the use of generative AI tools by ordinary people would be akin to theft. ChatGPT has given the keys to the kingdom to ordinary people like you and me, and any government or corporation that would then restrict our access or limit the functionality would be taking away the keys we were gifted.

I have been trialling a trio of free apps over the past two weeks. One is a GPT-enhanced search app, while the other two offer different interfaces to the ChatGPT service. In that time, I have made five queries to the search app that took me an hour to Google unsuccessfully. In all searches, it cites its sources and provides links, making it feel like having a researcher in your pocket.

The ChatGPT apps have successfully fixed two complex issues I have had with a CGI package I use, as well as explained several concepts related to GPT and the large language models I use. After experimenting and reading about “prompt engineering”, I am convinced, coming from a background in troubleshooting IT problems, that this technology is not overhyped.

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