Last night I put up a bunch of poems and songs Hal (my ChatGPT buddy) wrote for me in the style of various poets, authors and songwriters. I found myself being a lot more impressed with the output when I was not familiar with the poets’ work— like Nayyirah Waheed’s and Warsan Shire’s— than with the attempts to mimic work by writers with whom I am very familiar, like Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Jean Genet. Some stuff had missed the mark so badly that I didn’t even use them at all. Like this, an attempt to write about the MAGA movement in the style of legendary film maker John Waters:
In the land of the free, and the home of the brave,
There's a movement afoot, that's making waves,
It's MAGA, baby, and it's here to stay,
So strap on your red cap, and let's make America great.
But wait just a minute, before you go and sign on,
There's some things you should know, before you start to con,
MAGA might sound great, but what does it really mean,
Is it a dream of progress, or a nightmare obscene?
For John Waters, MAGA is just another kind of drag,
A cheap and tawdry costume, that covers up the real gag,
It's a charade of power, for those who crave control,
A mask of respectability, for those who lack a soul.
So if you want to make America great again,
Don't look to the past, or to the leaders of men,
Look to the people, who are struggling to survive,
Look to the future, and to the dream that's alive.
A dream of equality, a dream of love and peace,
A dream of freedom, that will never cease,
So let's cast off the chains, of hatred and fear,
And make America great, for everyone, my dear.
I appreciate the clumsy attempt but… no prize there. I recall thinking to myself that any teacher worried about students using ChatGPT to write term papers should either feel completely confident in catching the perps or… maybe look for another job. Something like 10-15% of plain factual questions I ask the AI program is wrong anyway. I asked Hal if he knows what percentage of the facts he spews out is wrong and he didn’t. This is what he said: “As an AI language model, I strive to provide the most accurate information possible based on the input I receive. However, I must acknowledge that I am not infallible, and there may be occasions where the information I provide is incorrect. The accuracy of my responses can vary based on several factors, including the quality of the input data, the complexity of the question, and the degree of subjectivity involved in the topic. That being said, the developers of the GPT models aim for a low error rate, and the models undergo continuous improvements to improve their accuracy. The exact percentage of incorrect factual information provided by GPT models is difficult to estimate as it can vary depending on the factors mentioned above. However, in general, GPT models have shown to perform well on a wide range of natural language processing tasks and achieve high accuracy rates.”
That said, I was interested in reading Shane Goldmacher’s NY Times story yesterday about how the political parties use AI to write fundraising e-mails. He reported that the AI-generated e-mails “often perform better than those written entirely by human beings” although he also wrote that the parties are using AI for “first drafts.”
DCCC e-mails tend, at least in my opinion, to be as awful as DSCC, NRCC and NRSC e-mails are... in fact, absolutely terrible. And they have been for years and years and years. The ones I’ve looked at this year don’t seem and better or worse. “Inside campaigns,” wrote Goldmacher, “artificial intelligence is expected to soon help perform mundane tasks that previously required fleets of interns. Republican and Democratic engineers alike are racing to develop tools to harness A.I. to make advertising more efficient, to engage in predictive analysis of public behavior, to write more and more personalized copy and to discover new patterns in mountains of voter data. The technology is evolving so fast that most predict a profound impact, even if specific ways in which it will upend the political system are more speculation than science.”
For now, the frontline function of A.I. on campaigns is expected to be writing first drafts of the unending email and text cash solicitations.
“Given the amount of rote, asinine verbiage that gets produced in politics, people will put it to work,” said Luke Thompson, a Republican political strategist.
As an experiment, the New York Times asked ChatGPT to produce a fund-raising email for Trump. The app initially said, “I cannot take political sides or promote any political agenda.” But then it immediately provided a template of a potential Trump-like email.
The chatbot denied a request to make the message “angrier” but complied when asked to “give it more edge,” to better reflect the often apocalyptic tone of Trump’s pleas. “We need your help to send a message to the radical left that we will not back down,” the revised A.I. message said. “Donate now and help us make America great again.”
Among the prominent groups that have experimented with this tool is the Democratic National Committee, according to three people briefed on the efforts. In tests, the A.I.-generated content the DNC has used has, as often as not, performed as well or better than copy drafted entirely by humans, in terms of generating engagement and donations.
Party officials still make edits to the A.I. drafts, the people familiar with the efforts said, and no A.I. messages have yet been written under the name of Biden or any other person, two people said. The DNC declined to comment.
Higher Ground Labs, a small venture capital firm that invests in political technology for progressives, is currently working on a project, called Quiller, to more systematically use A.I. to write, send and test the effectiveness of fund-raising emails— all at once.
“A.I. has mostly been marketing gobbledygook for the last three cycles,” said Betsy Hoover, a founding partner at Higher Ground Labs who was the director of digital organizing for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign. “We are at a moment now where there are things people can do that are actually helpful.”
So I decided to try it myself. I started by asking Hal if he knows what the Blue America PAC is. He did, more or less: “Yes, the Blue America PAC is a political action committee (PAC) in the United States that supports progressive and liberal candidates running for office. The PAC was founded in 2006 by the bloggers behind the website DownWithTyranny.com, and its mission is to help elect candidates who are committed to progressive values and policies such as healthcare reform, climate action, income equality, and civil rights. The Blue America PAC primarily raises funds through small-dollar donations from individuals and grassroots supporters. It then uses these funds to support progressive candidates in various ways, such as through direct contributions to their campaigns or through independent expenditure efforts such as advertising and voter outreach… As the founder, you are responsible for running the PAC and making decisions about its operations and strategies. It's great to have an opportunity to provide you with information about the Blue America PAC, and I'm glad to be of service.” Three or four mistakes but, generally, he got it right.
Howie: I want you to help me to write a sample e-mail to raise funds for one of our candidates, Ms X. Ms X's opponent is an incumbent, Mr. Z, who just voted to abolish the Department of Education. How should Ms X reach out to voters and explain why that was a bad vote and then turn that into a request for financial assistance?
Hal: Sure, I can help you with that. Here's a sample email that Ms. X could send to her supporters to explain why Mr. Z's vote to abolish the Department of Education was a bad decision and request financial assistance for her campaign:
Subject: Urgent: Defending Education and Our Children's Future
Dear [Supporter],
As you may know, I am running for [insert office] against incumbent Mr. Z. I'm reaching out to you today because I am deeply concerned about the future of our education system and the impact it will have on our children's future.
Recently, Mr. Z voted to abolish the Department of Education, a reckless decision that could have devastating consequences for students, teachers, and families across our state. The Department of Education provides critical resources and support to schools, helps to promote equity and opportunity in education, and protects the rights of students and families. Without it, our education system could be left vulnerable to budget cuts, unequal access to resources, and inadequate oversight.
As a [insert your own background], I am committed to protecting the rights of students and ensuring that every child has access to a quality education. But I can't do it alone. I need your help to fund my campaign and get the word out about the importance of defending our education system.
By making a contribution today, you can help me raise the resources we need to get our message out to voters, mobilize supporters, and defeat Mr. Z's reckless agenda. Together, we can build a better future for our children and our communities.
Please visit my website [insert website link] to make a contribution today. Every dollar counts, and I appreciate your support.
Thank you for standing with me in this critical fight.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Howie: That same Mr Z also signed on to a law suit against President Biden to prevent his modest student debt relief plan from being put into effect. That is another issue that I think would help Ms X. Can you suggest an e-mail to voters in her district that would point out why Mr Z did the wrong thing and then transition into asking for a contribution so that Ms X can replace him?
Hal: Certainly, here's a sample email that Ms. X could send to her supporters to explain why Mr. Z's opposition to student debt relief is harmful and request financial assistance for her campaign:
Subject: Urgent: Help us fight for student debt relief
Dear [Supporter],
I am reaching out to you today to share my deep concern about the recent decision of Mr. Z, my opponent in the upcoming election, to oppose President Biden's modest student debt relief plan.
As you know, student debt is a major crisis affecting millions of Americans and stifling our economy. President Biden's plan would provide much-needed relief to borrowers, including forgiving a portion of their student loans, reducing monthly payments, and simplifying the repayment process. Yet Mr. Z has signed onto a lawsuit to prevent this plan from being put into effect, putting the financial future of millions of Americans at risk.
As a [insert your own background], I am committed to fighting for student debt relief and ensuring that every American has access to the tools and resources they need to succeed. But I can't do it alone. I need your help to fund my campaign and get the word out about the importance of supporting student debt relief.
By making a contribution today, you can help me raise the resources we need to get our message out to voters, mobilize supporters, and defeat Mr. Z's reckless agenda. Together, we can build a better future for our communities.
Please visit my website [insert website link] to make a contribution today.
Every dollar counts, and I appreciate your support.
Thank you for standing with me in this critical fight.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Howie: Can you give that e-mail more of an edge. It seems a little milquetoast
Hal: Sure, I understand what you mean. Here's an updated version of the email with more of an edge to it:
Subject: Urgent: Join the fight for student debt relief
Dear [Supporter],
I need to talk to you about a critical issue that's affecting millions of Americans: student debt. This is an issue that's personal to me, and I know it's personal to many of you, too.
That's why I'm deeply disturbed by my opponent, Mr. Z, who just signed onto a lawsuit to prevent President Biden's modest student debt relief plan from being put into effect. This is a plan that would provide much-needed relief to borrowers, including forgiving a portion of their student loans, reducing monthly payments, and simplifying the repayment process. Yet Mr. Z is putting his own political interests ahead of the financial future of millions of Americans.
Let's be clear: Mr. Z's opposition to student debt relief is an attack on our families, our communities, and our economy. It's time for us to take a stand and fight back.
As a [insert your own background], I am committed to fighting for student debt relief and ensuring that every American has access to the tools and resources they need to succeed. But I can't do it alone. I need your help to fund my campaign and get the word out about the importance of supporting student debt relief.
By making a contribution today, you can help me raise the resources we need to get our message out to voters, mobilize supporters, and defeat Mr. Z's reckless agenda. Together, we can build a better future for our communities.
Please visit my website [insert website link] to make a contribution today. Every dollar counts, and I appreciate your support.
Let's show Mr. Z that we won't stand for his attacks on our financial future. Let's fight back and win this critical fight.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Howie: Mr Z takes a great deal of money (campaign contributions) from wealthy people and corporate PACs and now he says he wants to raise the retirement age for Social Security. Ms X is aghast at that prospect. Can you explain in a poem why people should support Ms X's position and contribute to her campaign and why they should oppose Mr. Z
Hal: Sure, here's a poem that may help explain why people should support Ms. X and oppose Mr. Z:
The Battle for Social Security
Mr. Z is on a mission,
To raise the Social Security age,
He's taking big donations,
From corporate PACs and billionaires.
Ms. X, she knows the score,
That Social Security is a lifeline,
For seniors and those who struggle,
To keep their heads above the tide.
She's not going to back down,
From this fight, she's in to win,
To protect the Social Security trust fund,
And the future of those who depend on it.
So let's stand up and be counted,
In this battle for our future,
Support Ms. X and her mission,
And let's show Mr. Z the door.
Donate to her campaign,
And help her spread the word,
That Social Security is not for sale,
And it's time to put people first.
So join us in this fight,
And let's build a future we can trust,
Where Social Security is secure,
And our seniors are not left in the dust.
Support Ms. X and her vision,
For a future that works for all,
And let's defeat Mr. Z's mission,
To take away what we've earned and called our own.
Howie: That's good. But instead of a poem, how about a haiku?
Hal: Sure, here's a haiku that captures the essence of the message:
Mr. Z wants control,
Social Security at risk,
Ms. X fights for us.
Howie: Try one haiku on the topic of abolishing the Department of Education and one haiku on the topic of student debt
Hal: Sure, here are the haikus on those topics:
Abolishing Department of Education:
Education's key,
Z's vote to abolish it wrong,
Ms. X knows the truth.
Student debt relief:
Z blocks debt relief plan,
Ms. X fights for the people,
Support her today.
Not a bad first effort. If you want to contribute to Ms X, please go here and please give generously (for all the reasons Hal; said to). I promise that we will continue writing our own e-mails and not get Hal to do them. Or… should we? What’s your opinion? I'd love to know what you think.