The UK’s tech secretary is an avid user of ChatGPT, turning to the LLM for advice ranging from supporting businesses to which podcasts to appear on.
Peter Kyle, head of Britain’s tech department, seems to have taken the prime minister’s calls for the public sector to embrace AI tools to heart. Kyle’s chatbot queries were revealed in a Freedom of Information (FoI) response given to New Scientist.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) revealed Kyle has asked OpenAI’s chatbot to explain why small businesses have been slow to adopt AI, with the response suggesting “limited awareness and understanding”, “regulatory and ethical concerns” and “lack of government or institutional support”.
A spokesperson for DSIT insisted ChatGPT’s information given to Kyle “does not substitute comprehensive advice he routinely receives from officials”.
“As the cabinet minister responsible for AI, the secretary of state does make use of this technology,” the spokesperson said.
“The government is using AI as a labour-saving tool – supported by clear guidance on how to quickly and safely make use of the technology.”
Kyle also asked for recommendations for podcasts to appear on to “reach a wide audience that’s appropriate for my ministerial responsibilities”.
The tech secretary also asked for definitions of technical terms related to technology, including quantum, antimatter and digital inclusion.
The FoI response could open the door to a flood of questions from the press about how government ministers are relying on the technology to make key decisions, as well as whether the usage is appropriate.
According to the magazine, DSIT initially refused the request to see the secretary of state’s ChatGPT history due to it containing personal information, however, a second request that specified it was looking for prompts made in an official capacity yielded better results.
Kyle has already publicly expressed his enthusiasm for using ChatGPT in his capacity as a government minister. Speaking to ITV political editor Robert Peston on the Rest is Money Podcast, he said “chat bots are great tutors” and that he uses ChatGPT “a few times a week”.
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