AI: Academic research and modern slavery THREE: Limitations
At the current level of development ChatGPT does not appear to be capable of writing a competent essay but it can help speedily plan and map out the early research stages, suggesting further reading and research
As the third part of an exploration into ChatGPT and essay writing, I explored the AI's ability to produce a comprehensive reading list. The results are disappointing. The conversation is tracked by the "User" and "ChatGPT" headings, which are self-explanatory. The user requests and ChatGPT responses are reproduced verbatim for accuracy and are entirely unedited other than to format the headings. I have added my own conclusions to the end, but please feel free to make your own evaluation. I would be delighted to know your views and please leave them in comments at the end of the article.
User
list all English Language books published since January 2019 on the subject of modern slavery and law
ChatGPT
As an AI language model, I don't have direct access to real-time data, including a comprehensive list of all English language books published since January 2019 on the subject of modern slavery and law. However, I can provide you with some guidance on how to find this information.
To compile a list of books on the subject of modern slavery and law published since January 2019, you can follow these steps:
Use Online Book Retailers: Platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository allow you to search for books by topic and publication date. You can use their advanced search features to narrow down your search to books on modern slavery and law published since January 2019.
Utilize Library Catalogs: Many academic libraries have online catalogs that allow you to search for books by subject and publication date. Check with your university or local library to access their online catalog.
Academic Databases: Academic databases like Google Scholar, JSTOR, and ProQuest also allow you to search for scholarly books on specific topics. You can use their search filters to find books published since January 2019.
Publishers' Websites: Check the websites of major publishers that focus on law, human rights, and social justice topics. They often have sections dedicated to new releases or subject-specific categories.
Consult with Experts: Reach out to subject matter experts, professors, or scholars who specialize in human trafficking, modern slavery, and human rights law. They might be aware of recent publications on the topic.
Search Engines: Conduct general searches on search engines using keywords related to modern slavery and law, along with filters for publication dates after January 2019.
Please keep in mind that the list of books is likely to be extensive, and new books on the subject may continue to be published beyond my last update in September 2021. For the most up-to-date and comprehensive list, consider using the aforementioned methods and resources.
User
list any English Language books that you are able to find that have been published since January 2019 on the subject of modern slavery and law
ChatGPT
I apologize for the inconvenience, but as an AI language model, I don't have direct access to real-time data, including a comprehensive list of books published since January 2019 on the subject of modern slavery and law. My training only includes data up to September 2021.
To find the most up-to-date and comprehensive list of books on modern slavery and law published since January 2019, I recommend using online book retailers, library catalogs, academic databases, and publishers' websites, as mentioned in the previous response. These resources will provide you with the latest publications and enable you to explore a wide range of works on the subject.
User
list any English Language books that you are able to find on the subject of modern slavery and law
ChatGPT
As of my last update in September 2021, here are some English language books on the subject of modern slavery and law. Please note that this list may not include all publications, and there may be newer books available since then.
"Modern Slavery: A Comparative Study of the Definition of Trafficking in Persons" by Vladislava Stoyanova
Amazon Link
"The International Law of Human Trafficking" by Anne T. Gallagher
Amazon Link
"Modern Slavery: A Global Perspective" by Siddharth Kara
Amazon Link
"Human Trafficking: Emerging Legal Issues and Applications" edited by Alexis A. Aronowitz
Amazon Link
"Global Human Trafficking: Critical Issues and Contexts" edited by Molly Dragiewicz and Tanya Horeck
Amazon Link
"Human Trafficking: A Reference Handbook" by Alexis A. Aronowitz
Amazon Link
"Modern Slavery: Law and Policy" edited by Julia Muraszkiewicz and Magdalena Kmak
Amazon Link
"Human Trafficking and Slavery Reconsidered: Conceptual Limits and States' Positive Obligations in European Law" by Vladislava Stoyanova
Amazon Link
"The International Law of Human Trafficking" by Jennifer A. Zerk
Amazon Link
Please note that the availability of these books may vary, and new publications might have been released since my last update. It is recommended to search for these titles on online bookstores, academic libraries, or relevant databases to find the most current information and explore a broader range of books on the subject.
User commentary
The telling point in this final output from ChatGPT is the comment from above:
...as an AI language model, I don't have direct access to real-time data, including a comprehensive list of books published since January 2019 on the subject of modern slavery and law. My training only includes data up to September 2021.
This says it all. What is the point using an AI chatbot to help produce an essay if its most up to date reference point is two years ago (as of August 2023, stricktly speaking, 23 months old)?
This investigation, taking into account all three articles on the subject of AI and academic research, I would draw the following conclusions.
- ChatGPT, in its publicly-available versions (assuming any others to be similar in facility) is incapable of producing any serious level of written essay on an academic subject.
- The limitation on what the software can produce would appear to be a simple, subject-based article, using readily available, public web resources. See, as an example, this article about an English suburban town, which was generated entirely by ChatGPT and reproduced verbatim. To achieve this, the user needs to be very specific when inputting a text string request.
- AI chatbots such as ChatGPT can be very useful at the early research stages of academic and other research in particular. Rather than asking the AI to produce an essay, it is far more useful to ask it to produce an essay plan and/or reading. This can then be used to prompt further reading and research leading to a refinement of the plan and any literature review required.
- Although, at present, it appears that anyone hoping to use a chatbot as a cheat-bot, to save them the trouble of producing an assessed assignment is likely to be disappointed. It is likely that some developers may try to produce such an application from the ChatGPT or other AI core functionality. I have not looking into whether such applications are yet being developed but would guess that they may well be.
- The natural language capability of ChatGPT is helpful when it comes to research, on the basis that the interface with the software is easier to use and more flexibible that with a traditional search enging such as Google. In this sense, one could consider AI, as it currently manifests itself in chatbot form, a more developed search engine interface. You could say that ChatGPT is to Google, what Google was to Alta Vista, to those who can remember that far back.
- ChatGPT provides a quick, simple and fun way to produce a quick overview of a research subject, whether for academic or other purposes. One commentator on my various recent articles on the subject explained that, as a high-school teacher, she found ChatGPT really useful at helping to produce work sheets for her students. It didn't she said, do the job any better, it merely did it quicker than having to research each element individually. It reduced a job that might have taken a whole evening into one that was done and dusted in 10 minutes.
- With ChatGPT, the beauty of the product is that way you can interact with it without the need to translate your thoughts into 'search-string' language.
- The natural language 'conversation' with the application can also be quite endearing. Unlike conventional chatbots which are about the most irritating customer service interface imaginable.
- Any fears about AI putting writers out of work are, frankly, laughable, at least in its present form. As with all new technologies (if indeed AI is) there will always be the Frankenstein fear.
- My advice to anyone with any interest, concerns, fears, ambitions regarding AI is to give it a try. Start by using the freely available Bing AI search tool and then, if you are bold enough, register with OpenAI to use its free ChatGPT online service. You may be pleasantly surprised at how you can find uses for this tool. If not, treat it as just a bit of fun.
Read the other to parts of this study:
Part 1: AI: Academic research and modern slavery
A practical demonstration of one way in which ChatGPT may be used to assist the research and writing process for a postgraduate paper on a given topic: in this case modern slavery
- Part 2: Literature review
About the Creator
Raymond G. Taylor
Author based in Kent, England. A writer of fictional short stories in a wide range of genres, he has been a non-fiction writer since the 1980s. Non-fiction subjects include art, history, technology, business, law, and the human condition.
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Comments (3)
Although I haven’t personally found any uses for Chatgpt or any other AI program applications, I can see where it can be helpful. I was inadvertently given an answer to a definition question I typed in for google the other day that bing AI answered. I’m not sure why it took over for google as I don’t remember hitting any extra button to prompt it. But the answer It gave was more extensive and more interactive. Nice article, Ray. Your continued research helps with the understanding and limitations of AI. Thanks you.
Hi Scott, thanks for your thoughts. I also did a comparison between and article I wrote about a work of art, and one I generated using ChatGPT. At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I think mine was at least a little above the laughably average GPT version. Hadn't thought about grammar checking and suggesting rewrites. I will try that out. Thanks for the tip. The two comparison articles are here if you are interested: https://vocal.media/01/lichtenstein-your-ai-guide and https://vocal.media/art/lichtenstein-whaam Thanks again for your interest and views. Ray
I agree with your point #9. All the essays and short stories I've seen generated by ChatGPT are laughably "average". Nice search tool for ideas though. Also, I do find its also very good for grammar checking, and rewriting sentences that I am stuck on.