ChatGPT: The solution to improving customer service for Local Governments?
In the 70s/80s we got the first computers. Then Internet in the 90s. Smartphones in the 2000/2010s and now in the 1920s AI. In other words; technological development is rapid, not every development is directly relevant, but the latest developments on AI are going to be gamechanging for our field.
Written by a former employee of Shift2 on March 27, 2023
As webmaster of a municipality, water board or province, it may seem instinctively like something far from your field of work, but the possibilities of deploying language models, such as ChatGPT, are now ready and developing rapidly. It's time for you to explore it. Why? I explain that in this blog.
ChatGPT an innovation strategy?
In my work as a consultant at Shift2, I often visit local governments and regularly speak with webmasters or communications staff. I note that AI is not yet part of the innovation strategy of local governments, but in my opinion it should be!
My assessment is that AI language models will soon take on a significant role in improving government services
What is ChatGPT?
Technical solutions are often a tool and the latest development in this area can be summarized under AI. Specifically in this blog I focus on AI that are based on language models, such as chatbots and since 2022 more the mainstream term for this is ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is an advanced chatbot system that can help improve customer service efficiency, cut costs and increase citizen satisfaction. In this blog, we discuss these benefits and also the potential risks of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is a chatbot system developed by OpenAI (www.openai.com), which uses advanced machine learning algorithms to understand and process natural language. This is also called a language model. By using this language model, the chatbot can communicate with customers naturally and effectively, without human intervention.
There are other language models around that may also be suitable for setting up a chatbot for the municipality. In this blog, I focus on ChatGPT because Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI last year and integrations into the o365 suite are in full swing. In other words; ChatGPT will soon be just another feature in our daily work, just like using the Internet.
What can language models like ChatGPT bring to a local government?
Efficiency
ChatGPT can improve customer service efficiency by being available 24/7 and responding immediately to multiple queries. This reduces wait times for citizens and the workload of human operators. This allows them to focus on more complex tasks, such as actually speaking to people on the phone.More complex tasks, such as actually speaking to people on the phone.
Cost savings
ChatGPT's efficiency can also lead to significant cost savings for local governments. By reducing the workload of human operators, these employees can focus on more complex tasks and save on costs for additional staff.
Citizen Satisfaction
ChatGPT can increase citizen satisfaction by providing fast, effective and friendly customer service. By providing citizens with positive experiences, local governments can gain their trust and support.
More opportunities for webmasters
Webmasters can use ChatGPT add to create better content and provide interactive and user-friendly customer service. This can improve the user experience of the Web site and contribute to the overall professionalism of the organization. ChatGPT can be used to create an outline for content, which can then be further completed or modified by the webmaster.
What are the risks?
This all sounds great, of course, but it is also still a young technology. This still poses some risks for formal agencies such as local governments at this time.
For example, it can lead to reduced human interaction and the loss of the personal aspect of customer service. In addition, misinformation may be provided if ChatGPT does not correctly understand the intent of the question.
Some examples of misinformation may include:
1. Lack of context and timeliness.
If ChatGPT receives a question without sufficient context, the answer may be incorrect or misleading. For example, if a citizen asks "Can I apply for a visa for my trip to Spain?", ChatGPT may answer with "Yes, you can through the Spanish embassy." However, if the citizen is a citizen of an EU country, ChatGPT would provide incorrect information because citizens of EU countries do not need a visa to travel to Spain.
Currently, the language model is trained until 2021, which means that current information cannot be used.
2. Misinterpretation of language and grammar
ChatGPT can sometimes have difficulty understanding the language and grammar of a question, which can lead to incorrect answers. For example, if a citizen asks "What are the rules for parking a car on the street?", ChatGPT may interpret "You can't park a car on the sidewalk" as an answer to the question when that is not the correct answer.
3. Sensitivity to prejudice and discrimination
ChatGPT can sometimes reflect bias and discrimination, especially if the answers depend on the data used to train the system. This can lead to inappropriate or offensive responses.
4. SEO penalties
If ChatGPT's text is copied indiscriminately, you run the risk of getting demerits from search engines. It is wise to always supplement the text with your own text. Or adjust the sentence structure if you were to use the text in a web page.
5. Technical issues
OpenAI's servers are often overloaded. Because millions of people around the world query the servers at the same time, they are sometimes unreachable for a while and you have to wait until things calm down. By the way, this only applies to free accounts. You can bypass the queue by getting a paid account, but what the implications of licensing are on service options remains to be experienced.
6. Under development
Language models and specifically ChatGPT are undergoing rapid development. This produces continuous improvement, but also risks in the content it helps to create or control.
Will there soon be no webmasters or communications specialists working in local government?
Some people fear losing their jobs because of the rise of AI. That is a possibility, but it also creates new jobs. People were also afraid that computers and robots would take over their jobs. Some of that happened, but the people who were first on the production line then started doing other, less monotonous work.
The conclusion for now
Language models like ChatGPT can already offer many benefits to local governments and their citizens. It can improve customer service efficiency, cut costs and increase citizen satisfaction. Webmasters can use ChatGPT to improve their Web sites and increase the overall professionalism of their organizations. However, there are also potential risks associated with using ChatGPT.
As a local government, it is important to consider these risks and strike a balance between automated and human interactions to provide optimal customer service. Putting these language models into production may be a bit early, but it is my advice certainly for municipal webmasters to explore the possibilities of deploying a chatbot such as ChatGPT and include it on the development agenda.