Back in October, the 36-member Porto Alegre city council unanimously passed a bill that relieved taxpayers from the burden of replacing stolen water meters. What made this legislation unique was that it had been entirely written by ChatGPT, a powerful language model developed by OpenAI. The law went into effect on November 23 and showcased the potential of artificial intelligence in optimizing and improving public service. However, Brazil’s first AI-crafted law has sparked a global debate about the future of automation in society.
Councillor Ramiro Rosário, the sponsor of the ChatGPT-written law, expressed his belief that artificial intelligence could be a useful tool in the public sector. Rosário had been receiving numerous complaints from constituents about being charged for stolen water meters, and he wanted to address this issue. He turned to ChatGPT and was amazed at the speed and accuracy with which the chatbot generated a proposal for the law. It even came up with two ideas that had never crossed Rosário’s mind – setting a 30-day timeline for meter replacement and exempting property owners from water bill payments if the deadline was not met.
ChatGPT combines human training with information from various sources to generate responses. While it has been used in diverse ways, experts have cautioned against relying solely on its output due to potential errors and misinformation. In the case of Rosário’s law, the council’s legislative drafting branch made minimal changes to the original text and even suggested incorporating subsections from the AI-generated proposal into Porto Alegre’s existing water and sanitation law.
After further review by the council’s judicial and constitutional committee, the law received approval from the council and Porto Alegre’s mayor. When Rosário revealed that the law was written by a chatbot, his peers had mixed reactions. Some were fascinated, while others raised concerns about transparency. Council President Hamilton Sossmeier, initially skeptical about AI, later acknowledged that it could be a growing trend.
Rosário initially kept his use of AI under wraps to avoid potential bias against the law. He firmly believes that AI can be a beneficial tool for public service if used responsibly and with knowledge of best practices. He sees parallels between the AI revolution and past fears about computers taking over, highlighting the positive impact technology has had thus far.
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, questions about its impact on society loom large. While proponents argue that AI can enhance efficiency and decision-making, skeptics worry about job displacement and the potential for bias in AI systems. As Brazil’s first AI-written law takes effect, it serves as a catalyst for a global discussion on the future role of automation and the need for humans to adapt to the changing landscape.
In conclusion, the approval of a law written entirely by ChatGPT in Porto Alegre, Brazil has sparked a debate on the increasing role of artificial intelligence in governance. The law, aimed at sparing taxpayers the expense of replacing stolen water meters, garnered unanimous support from the city council. Councillor Rosário, the law’s sponsor, praised the efficiency of AI in generating policy proposals and believes that AI can be harnessed for the public good. However, concerns about transparency, reliance on AI, and the potential impact on human employment have also been voiced. As AI continues to revolutionize various sectors, society must navigate the challenges and opportunities it presents.
