Since its release in November, ChatGPT seems to be doing everything from creating ad scripts to writing code. But can ChatGPT solve Philadelphia’s social problems?
Generosity has led ChatGPT to create solutions to Philadelphia’s most prominent social problems.
How can we end gun violence in Philadelphia?
At first glance, these answers seem to be sufficient, but they should be more than that.
“[ChatGPT] I’m good at coming up with things that sound pretty good. People have told me this before: “First, it has to be persuasive, and second, it has to be factually accurate.”” said Pere Tracy, a doctoral candidate.
His research examines how government uses technology to understand homelessness and highlights how ChatGPT functions as a tool in Philadelphia.
“Querying ChatGPT doesn’t get you much different than simply querying Google and spending a few minutes clicking through the top results,” Tracey says.
ChatGPT’s algorithms obtain information from readily available sources on the Internet. Tracey said that’s why it’s not all that different from what you’d find on the city’s homeless services page. However, ChatGPT may still be a relevant tool.
So what exactly does Philadelphia need? We invite ChatGPT to develop proposals on the root causes of violence: education, workforce development, and housing, and hear from local experts about them. Insights gathered.
How can we improve education in Philadelphia?
Maurice Baynard, vice president of community learning at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences, similarly called for human interpretation and intervention when it comes to improving Philadelphia’s education system, arguing that ChatGPT’s response is actually just He pointed out that they were just words.
“Information acquisition is not an application of knowledge,” Baynard says. “Being able to not only have all the information about education, but also probably be at the forefront of what most people are saying, is different than understanding what actually moves the needle. ”
Baynard acknowledged that solutions 3 and 6 are pretty close to what he thinks is needed for better education, but also noted how the other answers were comprehensive and not specific to Philadelphia. said that AI may not properly understand and take into account the nuances involved in the solution. These problems.
“I feel like they’re assuming that teacher training is somehow lacking, but I don’t know if that’s true,” Baynard said. “Teachers are actually highly trained, but they may not be trained for the challenges they face in the Philadelphia School District.”
In the city, these challenges include a lack of resources and a high student-to-teacher ratio, neither of which are specifically addressed. ChatGPT’s initial proposal was to increase funding again, noting limited Philadelphia-specific information. Farah Jimenez, CEO of the Philadelphia Education Foundation, said the city doesn’t have the freedom to allocate more money because the budget is determined by taxes and state and federal funding. She also had concerns about specificity.
“What does it mean to increase funding in a way that actually has an impact?” Jimenez said.
Based on ChatGPT’s results, it’s not clear that it knows the answer. Perhaps information limitations are hindering our ability to provide answers that could foster impactful change. But Jimenez isn’t ready to write it off just yet.
“There was a time when you couldn’t have a calculator in the classroom,” Jimenez said. “And now that the level of math has gotten so high, it’s actually expected to have calculators in the classroom.”
She said she could see a world where ChatGPT could act in a similar way, as a starting point or way to start conversations and engage people in conversations.
How can we improve workforce development in Philadelphia?
Latoya Edmond, regional director at CareerWork$, also sees the benefits of ChatGPT, but advises caution.
“The issue of digital divide still exists,” Edmond said. “A lot of people in Philadelphia don’t really understand AI computer technology. And there’s a big gap there, so we’re still going to need a human piece to help fill that gap. ”
In workforce development, she learned that some people lack trust in social programs and feel that available resources do not accurately address the issues they face. I saw it with my own eyes. Mr. Roberson expressed similar concerns about the welfare system being punitive towards people living in poverty. Removing the human side from these conversations can widen this chasm even further.
“When it comes to being successful, staying employed, and growing in talent, lived experience and real relationships get you there,” Edmond said. “That’s why I shy away from AI a little bit.”
How can we solve Philadelphia’s homelessness problem?
Dionia Roberson, associate editor of community narratives at Resolve Philadelphia and an individual personally affected by homelessness, was struck by how structural the response was and was inspired by the novelty. We shared how even lack is valuable.
“That doesn’t say anything different that it’s never been an issue for us, right?” Roberson said.
According to Roberson, solving homelessness has never been about finding answers, it’s always about doing. ChatGPT does not adequately address what she says is the root cause of the persistence of homelessness: human indifference.
“We have to convince our neighbors that the homeless people on their corner are our neighbors,” Roberson said.
She advocates for practical use of resources, rather than promoting policy. This approach aims to apply information based on the experiences of people affected by homelessness, rather than addressing the problem broadly as ChatGPT does.
Can ChatGPT provide nonprofits and governments with solutions to their most pressing problems?
While the AI-generated responses are clear and structured, they must be informed by experience, community struggles, and Philadelphia-specific factors to be applicable. And so far, that’s not the case. Still, Tracy says the technology isn’t going away anytime soon.
“Integrating smarter data-driven tools into decision-making processes is happening and will continue to happen. That’s a good thing, but we shouldn’t see them as a silver bullet,” Tracy said. Told.
After all, while AI can serve as a useful resource now and as it improves in the future, working towards social equity is still something that requires humans to be at the center.
-30-