Kurt Robson, Author at Just Style

ChatGPT one year on: how have businesses been affected?

Kurt Robson — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:13:39 +0000

ChatGPT will be celebrating one year since its launch at the end of November, a moment that many believe was a turning point for artificial intelligence (AI) leaving the realm of fiction and entering the mainstream.

The popularity of OpenAI’s breakout generative AI (GenAI) chatbot can not be understated. Four days after its launch on 30 November 2022, the site set the record for the fastest sign up of one million users. Since then, ChatGPT has expanded into something much bigger than it was on release. Constant updates to its AI model, most recently the release of GPT-4 Turbo, have moved the tool from something users were using to write silly rap songs to something used by by 92% of Fortune 500 companies.

The release of ChatGPT Enterprise in August, designed exclusively for businesses and corporate users, cemented the tool’s impact within industry while also providing an extra revenue stream for the company. OpenAI’s release of custom GPTs in November, which allow anyone to build their own versions of the conversational AI system, means that there could soon be an infinite number of custom made GenAI chatbots. Tech companies like Google and Meta have scrambled to stay relevant in the GenAI space since ChatGPT’s launch. Google infamously released its chatbot swiftly in March, following it making a public mistake during a demonstration in February. Google’s executives have gone on to fight back against claims that the company “rushed” the release of Bard to compete with Microsoft, which invested $100m in OpenAI in January. ChatGPT, the groundbreaking chatbot that started as a playful tool for silliness, has grown into something truly industry changing, and possibly even societal changing. Welcoming 100 million weekly users on to its platform just two months after its launch, it has captured the world’s imagination. But it’s not without its issues.

How has ChatGPT affected businesses?

ChatGPT has clearly had a profound effect on many industries and professions. Verdict recently reported that Filippo Bonsanti, VP of global marketing at job hiring giant, Indeed, said that every single job will be transformed by AI in some way. Indeed’s AI at Work report, released in September, found that almost a fifth (19.8%) of jobs face the highest level of potential exposure, while over a third (34.6%) face the lowest potential exposure. The undeniably biggest impact of ChatGPT so far, however, is how businesses are integrating it into their processes to “work smarter”. Companies in varying industries are using the chatbot to drive efficiency, or in some cases to create whole new services for customers at a fraction of the cost. Chris Clark, distinguished solutions engineer at cloud-based collaborative platform Slack, tells Verdict that ChatGPT was a watershed moment that is set to eliminate “a lot of time-consuming tasks.” Since the launch of ChatGPT last year, Clark has seen over 9,000 apps built in Slack through ChatGPT and rival chatbot Anthropic’s Claude. From researching information to transcribing or synthesising notes and even creating decks, ChatGPT will help “free employees to focus on the more human aspects of work and collaboration that only they can do,” Clark says. Technology expert Leon Gauhman, digital product consultancy at Elsewhen, believes that companies should embrace ChatGPT and GenAI as a whole. “Imagine having a highly capable AI-enabled tool that helps with the dull, predictable elements of your job, freeing you to be more creative,” Gauhman tells Verdict, “a new generation of AI copilot tools will move beyond conversational interfaces, to radically rethink how we work.” “These copilot tools will weave intelligence into tasks to help boost productivity and performance, replacing the enterprise tools we are familiar with,” he adds. Companies have been using ChatGPT, or similar technologies, to completely automate their processes too, in some cases completely removing the need for a human. “Automation is the process of systematising essential, but repetitive, tasks through tools or software,” Gareth Hoyle, managing director at Marketing Signals, tells Verdict. Aimee, a GenAI chatbot launched last year by BT, is currently being utilised by the telecoms giant for a variety of functions, including telling users about the status of a bill, altering subscriptions and more. “In the future, Aimee will be able to know what features are needed for certain customers – even if they don’t exist yet,” Kevin Lee, BT’s chief digital officer (CDO), said at the Chatbot Summit 2023. “Because Aimee has been harvesting its large language model across millions of customers a day, she will start to know what features we actually need to build for that particular customer,” Lee said.

Has ChatGPT been positive for business?

Despite the number of businesses integrating ChatGPT, some have remained sceptical on how much the technology has truly delivered for businesses, as well as the myriad of issues GenAI possesses. Laura Petrone, analyst at research company GlobalData, believes it is still too early to say that ChatGPT has been a game-changer for businesses and says that separating hype from reality is important. Petrone notes that companies shouldn’t underestimate the shortcomings of the technology, including misinformation and hallucinations. Hallucinations, when GenAI produces false or misleading information, are one of the most pressing risks in the use of ChatGPT. Despite OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spinning hallucinations as one of AI’s “powers” in September, there is a genuine danger to consider that AI systems like ChatGPT have the potential to deceive or manipulate individuals and spread misinformation. “While this may change with future versions, it is possible that this might be a limitation of the technology itself,” Petrone tells Verdict. In law, for example, countries such as the UAE, China, Canada, some parts of the US, and the UK Supreme Court have allowed the use of AI in court proceedings. However, this may prove to be a reckless decision, Carlos Quizon, analyst at GlobalData, writes in a Verdict blog post on 27 October. “AI has been found to manipulate evidence, breach confidentiality, and create biased decisions based on pre-existing judgment,” says Quzion, “as a result, AI could potentially increase the number of wrongly convicted criminals.” Despite the issues that need addressing, Petrone believes that ChatGPT will change the landscape greatly. “For the first time, we have a tool that generates content and language on its own and can perform sophisticated writing and research tasks in a way that previously required highly skilled people,” Petrone said. Adding: “This could significantly disrupt several white-collar professions, though its actual impact on productivity will only become clear in time.”`

Rishi Sunak addresses existential AI threats ahead of UK safety summit

Kurt Robson — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:36:28 +0000

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to tackle fears surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) ahead of the world’s first AI safety summit next week.

The national speech from Sunak on Thursday (26 October), follows the publishing of a landmark AI paper from the UK government on the capabilities and risks the emerging tech holds. “AI will bring new knowledge, new opportunities for economic growth, new advances in human capability, and the chance to solve problems we once thought beyond us. But it also brings new dangers and new fears,” Sunak said.

“The responsible thing for me to do is to address those fears head-on,” Sunak added, “giving you the peace of mind that we will keep you safe, while making sure you and your children have all the opportunities for a better future that AI can bring.” Sunak said he “genuinely believes that technology like artificial intelligence will bring a transformation as far reaching as the industrial revolution, the coming of electricity or the birth of the internet.” The speech follows a newly released report which claims that AI has the ability to help plan biological or chemical attacks by terrorists. Generative AI could be “used to assemble knowledge on physical attacks by non-state violent actors, including for chemical, biological and radiological weapons,” the report states. It could also make it harder to trust online content and increase the risk of cyber-attacks by 2025.

The report, which is based mainly on generative AI, was made in part with declassified information from intelligence agencies. During his speech, the PM announced that the UK would be establishing “the world’s first AI safety institute”. “It will advance the world’s knowledge of AI safety and it will carefully examine, evaluate and test new types of AI so that we understand what each new model is capable of, exploring all the risks,” he said. Laura Petrone, analyst at research company GlobalData, said the UK was “adopting a cautious approach” in terms of AI regulation. “The EU and China have been the most active in envisaging regulatory frameworks and will likely set the standard for AI regulation over the next few years. The UK is not putting in place any statutory regulations for fear of stifling innovation,” she said. Adding: “Nonetheless, the UK must be part of the conversation around the standards and best practices on AI and AI safety, and next week’s summit would be a great chance to achieve just that.” Jaeger Glucina, MD and Chief of Staff at legal AI copilot Luminance, told Verdict that whilst risk and safety is important when talking about AI, fixation on these elements may mean the country risk’s missing out on the technology’s oppurtunites. “Only time will tell whether the Summit will simply provide an impressive photo opportunity for global lawmakers or a genuinely productive forum for regulatory discussion,” Glucina said. “Regardless, moving forward there must be a clear focus on how the UK can advance AI and ensure it represents an attractive place for AI businesses to start-up, grow and float,” she added.

UK AI Safety Summit

The world’s first AI safety summit, hosted in the UK, will see global leaders in government and technology discuss the potential threats AI poses for elections and national security. The landmark two day event, beginning on 1 November, follows concern from the UK government claiming AI “could threaten global stability and undermine our values.” Business leaders, industry experts and politicians are expected to discuss everything from AI’s impact on online safety to its role in equality. The myriad risks posed by AI require “an urgent international conversation given the rapid pace at which the technology is developing,” according to the UK government. The UK’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, said: “We are setting out a focused plan for the AI Safety Summit to face up to the risks of frontier AI, so together with our partners around the world we can reap the enormous benefits this transformative technology has to offer. “AI presents an immense opportunity to drive economic growth and transformative breakthroughs in medicine, clean energy, and education.” The summit will be held at Bletchley Park, with Matt Clifford and Jonathan Black having been recently appointed to lead the talks. Bletchley Park was central to the team of computer scientists who broke the enigma code back in World War II. Alan Turing was among the team and the work that was done to break the enigma code remained secret until the mid 1970s.

AI will severely impact almost a fifth of jobs, Indeed says

Kurt Robson — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:07:53 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to effect almost a fifth of jobs at the highest level of exposure, according to research by leading jobs platform Indeed.

Indeed Hiring Lab, a team formed within the company to provide economic research into the global labour market, found that “all jobs face some potential exposure to GenAI-driven change”. Indeed’s AI at Work report, released in September, found that almost a fifth (19.8%) of jobs face the highest level of potential exposure, while over a third (34.6%) face the lowest potential exposure.

The global recruitment giant has over 350 million people interacting with its recruitment products every month. Filippo Bonsanti, VP of global marketing at Indeed, said on Tuesday (17 October), that every single job will be transformed by AI in some way, and it’s already begun. During his keynote speech at Unleash World 2023 in Paris, Bonsanti discussed how the company was using AI to help employers and potential employees. Bonsanti said the company’s research pointed to some jobs going away and more being created. “It’s just about making sure we use AI in our favour as much as we can,” Bonsanti said.

“We can do very big things with AI, it’s just about making sure we use the technology in the service of us,” he added. Bonsanti believes one of the most dangerous impacts of AI is its ability to be biassed. “The technology we create is a reflection of the creators, and we are the creators,” Bonsanti said. He added: “‘If we have biases, the technology we create will have biases and we have to be aware of that.” Bonsanti said Indeed had formed a cross functional team placed purely in charge of overseeing every AI algorithm in use. “There are over 100 algorithms that are running at the same time everytime you interact with search or interact with our website,” he said. Adding: “We want the machine to become better than us, not just a vague copy of us.” Indeed is currently using AI in a number of ways to “make job connections faster, simpler and more human,’ Bonsanti said. For employers, Indeed is using its AI to provide reccomended salaries to posted positions – for advice on how to price a new role in a company. The company also reccomends job applicants for positions, showing employers potential employees based on their profile. From a job seeker perspective, those looking for work get reccomended jobs based on their CV and skills. Jobs reccomended by Indeed lead to 55% more applications than Google searches, according to Bonsanti.