AI Agony Aunt? Kildare councillor says he asked ChatGPT what KCC thinks about Rathangan

The times they are-a changin' indeed.

Kildare-based councillor says he asked ChatGPT about what Kildare County Council thinks about Rathangan.

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (otherwise simply known as AI) chatbot which was developed by OpenAI last year.

Fine Gael Cllr Mark Stafford made the comments at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which was held on Wednesday, March 15 last, in relation to a motion he proposed at the meeting.

The motion called on KCC to 'commission a Town and Village Renewal Masterplan for Rathangan as a matter of urgency.'

He told members in attendance that he decided to ask the chatbot programme what KCC thought about the area of Rathangan.

In response, he said that ChatGPT told him: "As an AI, it cannot speak on for the intentions of KCC, but as a regulatory body, it has a responsibility to serve and represent in the interest of all communities."

"I'm not sure that ChatGPT is convinced," Cllr Stafford added.

Similar to the last MD meeting, Cllr Stafford was once again critical of the Kildare-Newbridge MD's exclusion from the Just Transition scheme.

He said that the exclusion it left the area of Rathangan 'at a disadvantage.'

Elaborating about his motion to the Leinster Leader following the meeting, Cllr Stafford said: "It (the Renewal Masterplan) is often required for grant funding and the council are currently finalising plans for Newbridge, Kildare, Monastervin and Athgarvan.

"KCC is reluctant to give a commitment to start more plans at this stage."