Can ChatGPT do a civil servant's job? CSW's panel put it to the test

We asked a cross-section of officials to play around with ChatGPT and establish how good it is at some of the everyday tasks they perform in their jobs. See how well it did...
Photo: Dzmitry Kliapitski/Alamy Stock Photo

By Jess Bowie

13 Jun 2023

Our team of civil servant reviewers took a look at how well ChatGPT could answer questions about teacher training, write a ministerial statement, apply for a civil service job and more. Read our panel's verdicts below.

"If you’d like your answers about Qualified Teacher Status with a side order of astrology, you can have that!"

William from DfE shares his team's adventures with Ariadne, a sassy AI that lives in Slack and answers questions on education policy – in the style of Shakespeare, if that's your thing.

 

 

"It tended to present complex issues in narrow, simplistic terms, missing important links to related issues or broader questions"

Greg from the Department for Business and Trade calls on ChatGPT's help with policy design and asks it to weigh in on the chancellor’s “rabbit out of the hat” budget announcement   

 

"The PQ response read as more frank and open than we might be happy to clear in the current political context"

Gemma from the Department for Work and Pensions gives ChatGPT a shot at answering a parliamentary written question... and applying for a grade 7 job

 

 

You can read our in-depth look at what ChatGPT could mean for the civil service – and if it's useful now – here:

 

Read the most recent articles written by Jess Bowie - Streeting gives his honest assessment of DHSC

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