I went to the Post Office in Palavas today to post my old British passport back to the passport office for renewal.
“It’s illegal to send passports via La Poste,” announced the young wench (for she was a wench) with great authority. “No it’s not,” I replied equally firmly. “How else can I send it back to England?”
“It’s illegal, I’ll check,” said the wench, tapping at her smartphone.
“Ok it’s OK, it’s not illegal.”
“You have La Poste’s regulations on your phone?”
“No I checked with ChatGPT.”
Ah. The ultimate authority.

Her source for the original mis-information was her previous manager in another town – she’s actually a student studying for a Bachelor degree in a business school in Montpellier, a degree which is sponsored by La Poste. Work a week, study a week, sandwich course. Like many of my current students, many – most, all – of whom have relied on ChatGPT for literally everything they have done for the past couple of years. And when I say ‘Everything’, I include in that them typing furiously the questions I’ve just asked them into ChatGPT to give me an answer. Reader, ChatGPT does not make a good simultaneous translator, although other AI options are getting there.

But now AI is out in the real world, with this young woman relying on it for something that could literally be illegal. If it’s really illegal to post my passport (and I KNOW it isn’t!), then I don’t want to rely on her relying on some daft AI that just makes stuff up. Luckily a real employee dug out the actual, printed text of the regulations and told her sternly how to use these books.

Good grief.

PS: So when I came to post this article, WordPress now offers its own AI assistant to help me. A new title perhaps? How about

The Perils of Relying on AI for Legal Advice
(This title targets users searching for discussions on AI and legal implications, boosting SEO by including relevant keywords.)

Would you like some feedback with that article sir?

Why, sure! Hit me!

The content presents a personal narrative with observations about AI reliance and communication misunderstandings.

Consider these actions for improvement:

1. Clarify the central theme or message to ensure readers grasp the overall point.
2. Incorporate structured paragraphs to enhance readability and flow.
3. Provide additional context about the significance of sending passports via La Poste to engage readers more deeply.
4. Offer balanced viewpoints on AI use in everyday situations to foster a nuanced discussion.
5. Edit for tone consistency; consider whether a more formal or informal voice suits the intention.

Good grief.