Chat GPT Use Case #3 - Global Happiness

It's been a wild month or so. My amazing wife, Veronica J. , and I went on perhaps the best vacation of our lives for our ten year anniversary. We went for two weeks to Asia and had an incredible time. That was after we attended NAFER's annual conference in Nashville. (shoutout NAFER | NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FEDERAL EQUITY RECEIVERS !) Then, Alex Moglia and I attended an incredible bankruptcy conference in Iowa, the 2023 All-Iowa Bankruptcy Conference. That, along with the valuable work my firm does, is why I've been slow in posting more of these.

However, today I have a brand new use case for you that is a bit ambitious. Global happiness.

Forewarning, this is a bit of a long read. I believe it is extremely important. Also, the dialogue at the end where I'm bargaining for ChatGPT to give me an estimate of cost is kinda funny and interesting.

I brainstormed with ChatGPT about how to achieve global happiness via the creation of a user-funded, AI-fueled app that solicits, measures, and reports on feedback from users based on verifiable user attributes including users' interests. I find the results and concept fascinating. I haven't created it yet, but maybe...

Here's the dialogue:

Nate Jones

Help me brainstorm a global app that solicits feedback from individuals (based upon verifiable records that identify attributes such as location, home address, gender, age, interest level, expertise, heritage, etc.) then feeds that data into a large language model ("LLM") that generates statistics showing actual approval ratings from various perspectives.

The goal of the project. and the project's only bias, would be to promote public good and happiness worldwide without bias to any individual attribute (in it's entirety, "The Mission").

Prompts and statistics based on issues related to known and chosen interest levels, geolocation, interest level of connected parties, etc. will be displayed to users for their feedback on a scale and/or text form. That feedback is then given to the LLM to generate new prompts and statistics. Users will also be able to provide feedback as to the relevance of the prompt or statistic based upon various attributes. That feedback is then given to the LLM for reporting and use in creating future prompts and statistics. Users will be able to submit prompts, but all submissions must remain anonymous.

Funding for the project is raised from donations by users. Those donations are capped at $1 (or the foreign equivalent) per user per year (inflation adjusted until now). The project would not be for profit. I will bear the burden of building the initial app. Donation is not required for use, and there will be no difference in functionality for donors and non-donors. Constant forecasts of costs to maintain and upgrade the app will be generated by the LLM, and if additional funding is needed, additional funding will be solicited from users with the annual cap remaining in place.

Every valid user will be authorized to vote upon and submit proposed enhancements to the LLM.

Security and reliability of user and attribute verification will be of paramount interest to the Mission.

ChatGPT

This is an ambitious and altruistic project that aims at gathering diversified opinions to foster public good and happiness on a global scale. The feedback loop you’ve described, involving users and a large language model, to continually refine and generate new prompts and statistics is innovative. Here are some thoughts and further questions to help refine the idea and address potential challenges:

1. User Verification and Data Integrity:Ensuring accurate and reliable data from users is crucial. What mechanisms will be put in place to verify the authenticity of the users and the information they provide?How will the app handle false or misleading information, and could there be a mechanism for other users or administrators to flag or correct this?How will privacy be maintained especially with the collection of sensitive personal information?
2. User Engagement:What strategies will be employed to keep users engaged and continually contributing to the platform?How will the app ensure a balanced representation from various demographics to avoid biases?
3. Large Language Model (LLM) Training and Refinement:How will the LLM be initially trained, and what data sources will be used?How will the feedback from users be structured to ensure the LLM can effectively learn and improve over time?How will the LLM handle conflicting data or opinions from different user groups?
4. Funding and Sustainability:While the donation model is noble, is there a plan to ensure sustainability especially if user donations aren’t sufficient to cover operational costs?How will transparency in funding and expenditures be maintained to build trust with the user base?
5. App Scalability and Performance:As the user base grows, how will the app ensure performance and responsiveness?How will the app handle different languages, cultural nuances, and legal frameworks across various geographies?
6. User Feedback on Relevance:How will the app ensure that feedback on the relevance of prompts and statistics is accurately reflected in the LLM’s subsequent iterations?What mechanisms will be in place to ensure that user feedback on relevance doesn’t inadvertently introduce biases into the LLM’s outputs?
7. Community Moderation and Governance:What mechanisms will be in place for users to report issues, propose enhancements, and vote on proposed changes?How will decisions be made and communicated within the app’s ecosystem?
8. Legal and Ethical Compliance:How will the app navigate the various legal and ethical landscapes especially around data privacy and user consent across different countries?
9. Technology Stack:What technologies and frameworks are being considered for building, hosting, and scaling the app?How will the app ensure security, especially in data transmission and storage?
10. Marketing and Outreach:How will the app attract its initial user base and continue to grow over time?What partnerships could be leveraged to promote the app and The Mission?

Each of these areas could significantly impact the success and effectiveness of the project. Fleshing out the details in these areas could provide a more concrete path forward and help in identifying any potential roadblocks early on.

Nate Jones

I think a good approach may be to announce the project and have only one prompt for new users, "Are you willing to donate $1 to this project?". Upon reaching a predetermined funding amount, the project will then hire industry experts in the topics you mentioned to generate the initial prompts and statistics that go to the heart of the questions. Users will then be able to vote on those to start the feedback loop.

ChatGPT

Launching the project with a simple, straightforward prompt about donations can indeed serve as a practical litmus test to gauge initial interest and secure necessary funding. Here are some considerations and potential enhancements to this approach:

1. Funding Milestone:Having a clear, predetermined funding goal can be motivating for potential donors. It might be helpful to communicate what the funding will be used for, and how it will help achieve the project's mission.
2. Transparency:Providing transparency about the progress towards the funding goal, and later on, how the funds are being utilized, can help build trust and encourage more people to contribute.
3. Engagement Beyond Funding:Even at this early stage, consider ways to engage users beyond the donation prompt. For example, providing a newsletter sign-up for updates, or a forum for potential users to share ideas and discuss the project's potential.
4. Industry Experts:Engaging industry experts is a wise move to ensure the initial prompts and statistics are well thought out and relevant. Consider also forming an advisory board of such experts to provide ongoing guidance.
5. User Voting:A user voting system on initial prompts and statistics is a good way to start the feedback loop and engage the user base. It can also provide valuable insights into the topics that matter most to your users.
6. Testing and Iteration:Before a full launch, consider running a beta test with a smaller user base to gather feedback, test the system's functionality, and make necessary adjustments.
7. Legal and Ethical Preparations:Ensure that legal and ethical guidelines, especially around data privacy and user consent, are well established from the outset, aligning with the project's mission of promoting public good.
8. Marketing and Awareness:Consider a marketing strategy to create awareness about the project, leveraging social media, partnerships, and other channels to reach a wider audience.
9. Feedback Channels:Establish channels for feedback and inquiries. Engage with the community to understand their concerns, suggestions, and expectations regarding the project.
10. Technology Infrastructure:As you move forward, ensuring that the technology infrastructure is robust, secure, and scalable will be crucial. This includes the platforms for collecting donations, user verification systems, and the LLM infrastructure.

1. Continuous Learning:As the project progresses, continuously learning from user feedback, voting patterns, and expert advice will be key to refining the model and ensuring the project stays aligned with its mission.

Your approach has the merit of simplicity while securing essential funding and engaging both experts and the user community early on. This could create a solid foundation for the project to grow and evolve in alignment with its mission of promoting public good and happiness worldwide.

Nate Jones

What would you consider an appropriate funding goal to be?

ChatGPT

Determining an appropriate funding goal can be complex as it heavily depends on various factors unique to your project. Here are several steps and considerations that might help in setting a realistic funding goal:

1. Cost Estimation:Begin with a detailed estimation of the costs associated with developing, launching, and maintaining the app. This should include development costs, server hosting, security measures, legal consultations, marketing, and any other operational expenses.It's also prudent to include the costs of hiring industry experts to generate the initial prompts and statistics, as you mentioned.
2. Expert Consultation:Consult with industry experts, especially those in app development, legal compliance, and data security to get a better understanding of potential costs. This will also help in identifying any hidden or unforeseen costs.
3. Contingency Planning:Factor in a contingency amount to cover unexpected expenses. A common practice is to add a contingency of around 10-20% on top of the estimated costs.
4. LLM Training Costs:Training large language models can be resource-intensive. Include the costs associated with acquiring training data, computing resources, and expertise required for training and maintaining the LLM.
5. Maintenance and Upgrades:Estimate the costs for ongoing maintenance, updates, and potential scaling of the app as the user base grows.
6. User Acquisition and Marketing:Budget for marketing and user acquisition campaigns to build a user base and create awareness about the project.
7. Long-term Sustainability:Consider the long-term sustainability of the project. Estimate the recurring costs and plan how the project will cover these costs moving forward, especially if the donation model doesn't provide sufficient funds.
8. Benchmarking:Look at similar projects or apps in terms of size, complexity, and mission, and try to understand their initial funding requirements.
9. Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis:Although the project is not for profit, analyzing the potential impact and benefits against the estimated costs can help in setting a justified funding goal.
10. Community Feedback:Once you have a preliminary funding goal, you might consider seeking feedback from potential users or community stakeholders to ensure it appears realistic and justified.
11. Transparency:Be prepared to provide a clear breakdown of how the funds will be used. Transparency can help build trust and encourage more people to contribute.
12. Review and Revise:As you gather more information, be ready to review and possibly revise the funding goal to ensure it remains realistic and aligned with the project’s needs.

By carefully analyzing costs, consulting with experts, and considering long-term sustainability, you'll be better positioned to set a funding goal that is both realistic and attainable.

Nate Jones

I was looking for a number, but this is helpful. What's your best guess? I won't hold you to it.

ChatGPT

Arriving at a precise number without detailed information on all the necessary components of the project can be challenging. However, a rough ballpark figure can be provided based on general industry standards and costs associated with developing and launching similar digital platforms. For a project of this scope and ambition, initial funding could range anywhere from a few hundred thousand to several million dollars.

The wide range is due to the multitude of variables involved such as the complexity of the LLM, the cost of expert consultations, marketing, legal and ethical compliance, data security, and user verification systems, among others.

To narrow down this range, a detailed budget outlining all anticipated costs, as previously discussed, would be invaluable. It would also be beneficial to consult with industry professionals who have experience in similar projects to get a better understanding of potential costs.

Nate Jones

I understand that, but make a guess.

ChatGPT

Given the complexities and the global scale of the project, a very rough ballpark estimate might be between $2 million to $5 million for the initial development, launch, and first year of operation. This estimate takes into consideration the hiring of industry experts, development of a sophisticated app with a robust LLM, marketing, legal, and operational costs. It's a broad estimate and the actual amount could be lower or higher based on various factors and the specific requirements of your project.

Conclusion

Well, would you be a user or a donor? Give this post a like or repost. What do you think about the budget amount and funding approach? Tell me what you think in the comments. Also, if you'd like to build on the idea, feel free to continue the conversation with ChatGPT at this link.

https://chat.openai.com/share/a6a9f782-a261-4d26-9817-c7b51585c63d

Lastly, please contact me if you're interested in building on this idea. I'd love to collaborate with others. Ciao.