Danish PM delivers ChatGPT-written speech to highlight risks posed by tech

Mette Frederiksen delivered a speech at parliament that was partially written by ChatGPT to demonstrate the potential and risks of advanced technology on Wednesday

The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, used ChatGPT to help write a part of her speech in parliament. She wanted to highlight both the groundbreaking aspects and the potential risks of artificial intelligence (AI). This speech was given in the traditional manner as parliament was preparing to close for the summer.

During her speech, Frederiksen surprised the legislators by revealing that the text she was reading was not written by her or any other human, but rather by ChatGPT.

According to the French news hub, AFP, the prime minister acknowledged that although the AI-written text may not have always been accurate in terms of government details and punctuation, she found it both fascinating and terrifying to witness the capabilities of AI.

 ChatGPT gained significant attention last year for its ability to generate essays, poems, and conversations based on minimal prompts. This success led to a rush of investments into the field, but critics and insiders have raised concerns the report added.

 Some common worries include the potential for chatbots to spread misinformation on the internet, the possibility of biased algorithms producing discriminatory content, and the fear that AI-powered automation could lead to job losses in various industries.

Some Danish citizens, however, were not impressed by this. One user on Twitter stated,  “I am glad that Christiansborg is starting to take AI seriously. But letting a chatbot write a speech is already oh so yesterday. Yes, that's how fast it goes.” (translated from Danish)

Another user pointed out that for Sweden, the potential of AI was still not fully comprehended and this moment was enlightening. Another user stated, “The Prime Minister should convene the social partners to discuss artificial intelligence! Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has just held an interesting closing speech, i.a. about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT.” (Translated from Danish)

The topic of AI was on the agenda for a high-level trade meeting between the United States and the European Union, taking place in Lulea, Sweden on Tuesday.

A group of industry leaders and experts, including Sam Altman from OpenAI, the organisation behind ChatGPT, expressed concerns about the potential threats posed by this technology, even going as far as to warn about its potential to cause "extinction."

 The ChatGPT-generated part of Frederiksen's speech included statements about leading a diverse government, working together across political parties, and striving for a sustainable future and a fair society. Frederiksen's regular speechwriters have not yet commented on the quality of the AI-generated writing.