Boasting over 180 million users globally, the widely used artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT, nonetheless, comes under disapproval from Harriet Kelsall, a jewelry artisan based in Nottingham. For Kelsall, the allure of this popular AI app dwindles under the glaring light of its flaws and inaccuracies.
Although the dyslectic jeweller acknowledges the potential of ChatGPT’s AI technology in clarifying her communication with customers on her website, she remains skeptical on its reliability. Accounting her personal exposure to the AI, Kelsall explains how, during her test run earlier this year, she found fault in its information delivery. In an attempt to gauge ChatGPT’s accurateness, she sought details about the grand St Edward’s Crown that adorned King Charles III on his coronation day in May.
Being well-versed on the subject of royal gemstones, Kelsall picked up marked discrepancies in the app’s response. It misled, providing misinformation lining large sections of the text. The jewels described pertained to an altogether different crown. This, alongside the forgery concerns emerging from people passing off ChatGPT’s information as their original thought, imbued Kelsall with a sense of disregard for the chatbot.
Despite the surging popularity of ChatGPT since its unveiling a year ago, Kelsall is not alone in her reluctance. A recent survey reveals a discernible gender gap amongst users, with women less likely to use AI in their lives professionally or personally, compared to their male counterparts.
Business coach Michelle Leivars, based in London, articulates another side to this AI scepticism. Desiring a preservation of her distinctive voice and personality online, she avoids AI composition, noting how it’s her authentically human writing style on her website that persuades her clients to hire her services.
Hayley Bystram, another Londoner and founder of the Bowes-Lyon Partnership, articulates similar sentiments, focusing on the dilution of personalisation that AI might bring to her matchmaking agency.
For Paisley-based business strategist Alexandra Coward, AI content creation is the equivalent of extreme Photoshopping, a process that distorts reality to such an extent that one becomes unrecognisable from their artificially engineered persona.
AI expert Jodie Cook unscrews deeper layers of women’s reluctance to embrace this technology. Traits inherent to traditionally male-dominated Stem disciplines throw light on the trend. She notices an unbalanced representation in AI technology’s integration, reflecting this engrained gender disparity.
There is also an evident lack of confidence amongst women concerning AI, despite its user-friendly interface. As technologically unskilled, women often refrain from exploring AI. Coupled with the sci-fi image associated with this field, primarily targeted towards men, AI shrouds itself in an intimidating veil for women.
Bringing in a psychological perspective, Lee Chambers points out the confidence gap acting as a disruptive factor. Women typically desire a certain level of proficiency before delving into a new technology, unlike men who dive in with less hesitation and uncertainty. Chambers also highlights the fear among women of their competence being questioned upon using AI tools.
Expressing this sentiment, Harriet Kelsall values authenticity and human creativity above all else. Consequently, for them, AI, no matter how advanced, fails in its attempt to mimic genuine human intellect and originality.
