How ChatGPT got me out of a ￡100 parking fine

AI and ChatGPT in particular is pretty divisive. Some people think it's going to bring about the next Armageddon and others absolutely love how much time it saves and how much more productive it makes their day.

I'm a bit in the middle. AI can be awesome but it definitely can be misused.

Firstly, the dark side of AI. This week, a client shared a template email from one of his suppliers with me. The email was meant to promote a new product, but it sounded like a robot had written it. It was completely obvious to me that this was written by AI with NO editing whatsoever. And that's the risk you take when using AI. It's a powerful tool but should be used carefully. I always recommend checking and editing all output from ChatGPT, otherwise it could actually damage your brand.

Now, that's the negative side of AI, but it can also be incredibly useful in the right situations and that's what I found recently.

About a month ago I had a meeting with a colleague in a nearby hotel. I parked up and headed in. I clearly didn't read the signs and assuming (incorrectly) that these were only for people who weren't using the hotel, I enjoyed my meeting and left none the wiser.

A few days later this lovely letter dropped through my door:

?After muttering a string of expletives, I decided I would try and appeal the fine. As I'd actually gone into the hotel and used the facilities, I thought I had a pretty good case. Then, I had a light bulb moment; why not get ChatGPT to appeal on my behalf?

The first draft was okay but sounded a bit too much like it was written by a lawyer. After softening it up a bit and making a few tweaks, here was the result:

Hello,

I attended the (Hotel Name) last Thursday for a meeting and have just received a ￡100 parking charge notice.

I wasn't aware I needed to register my car and although I spoke to the front desk, this wasn’t mentioned. I was there solely for the meeting, a detail your CCTV should be able to confirm.

This was a genuine oversight on my part, with no intention to bypass the rules. I'm hoping you can reverse this, as it was truly an honest mistake.

This morning after I received the letter, I immediately spoke to (Staff Member) on reception and she informed me that if I email over the parking fine (attached), you would be able to look into it.

I really appreciate your time and understanding in looking into this matter. If there's any more information you need from my side, please do let me know.

Many thanks in advance,?

Not bad eh? (Feel free to steal it). After a few phone calls to get the contact details of the hotel manager, I fired off the email and crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

A few days later on, this second letter arrived through my mailbox which was received much more warmly:

Result! So, the story had a happy ending. Thanks to ChatGPT, I kept my ￡100 in my pocket and out of the parking company's greedy hands.

One of the main lessons I learned is that ChatGPT and AI can be used for much more than just producing content. If you put your mind to it, it can have some extremely creative uses. And of course, always register your card when using hotel parking!

What about your experiences with AI? Ever used ChatGPT for anything unusual, unique or out of the ordinary? Let me know in the comments below.