TTmex

Hi All,

I'm somewhat of a novice for AI stuff, but having had to embrace it recently for automating a lot of my company's stuff, I thought it was interesting to experiment with a few things that may be helpful for the BAEC community. While I've done limited amounts of research, I believe that ChatGPT and other tools could (with the right prompts) become helpful for travellers on here.

Just a note, while there are some serious, perhaps helpful uses, I also wrote this post to explore some of the more amusing uses of it. However, it would be good to hear if anyone has any ideas for how it might be used in the future

Some examples I did:

I asked the following: "write a letter addressed to British Airways's head office to claim 600 Euros in EU/261 compensation for a delayed flight from London to Mexico City on the 13th February 2023 that was delayed by over 4 hours due to operational issues" (not a real situation, just made it up).

The result was: Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to request compensation under EU/261 regulations for a delayed flight I experienced on February 13, 2023. I was scheduled to travel from London to Mexico City on British Airways flight number BA243, but the flight was delayed by over 4 hours due to operational issues.

As you are aware, under EU/261 regulations, passengers are entitled to receive compensation of up to 600 Euros for delayed flights of more than 3 hours. Therefore, I am requesting that British Airways provide me with this compensation as soon as possible.

The delay caused me significant inconvenience and resulted in missed connections and additional expenses. I have attached copies of my booking confirmation, boarding pass, and any other relevant documents to support my claim.

I trust that British Airways will take prompt action to process my claim and provide me with the compensation I am entitled to under EU/261 regulations. Please let me know what steps you will be taking to address this matter.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] "

END.

This was my first attempt and with a bit of fiddling with the prompt it would be very easy to set up some copy paste templates on the forum that people could adapt and put into ChatGPT to quickly get a letter to send to BA. With a bit of work, I think it could be quite handy to help people generate automatic letters etc for certain things.

As a second example, I asked it to do the following:

Prompt: What are the easiest hotels to reach by bus from London Heathrow and on what routes?

Result:

There are several hotels near London Heathrow that can be easily reached by bus. Here are some of the easiest hotels to reach by bus from Heathrow, along with the routes that serve them:

1. Premier Inn Heathrow Terminal 4 - Bus route 482 stops at the hotel, running every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off-peak hours.
   
2. Novotel London Heathrow Airport T1 T2 and T3 - Bus routes 105, 111, 285, and 423 stop near the hotel, with the closest stop being Hatton Cross Station.
   
3. Ibis Styles London Heathrow Airport - Bus routes 105, 111, 140, 285, and 555 stop near the hotel, with the closest stop being Harlington Corner.
   
4. Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 - Bus route 7 stops at the hotel, running every 30 minutes.
   
5. Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow - Bus routes 105, 111, 285, and 423 stop near the hotel, with the closest stop being Hatton Cross Station.
   

These bus routes are operated by Transport for London (TfL) and can be accessed using the Oyster Card or contactless payment methods. Additionally, most of these hotels offer shuttle services that operate at regular intervals between the hotel and the airport terminals.

It's always a good idea to check the bus schedule and route beforehand to ensure that you have the latest information. You can check the TfL website or use the Citymapper app to plan your journey and get real-time bus information.



For a third example, I decided to have a bit of fun.

Third example:
I used the prompt: "Write a blog post complaining that British Airways used to be a much better airline in the past"

The result: (could save a few people some time)

British Airways has long been considered one of the leading airlines in the world. With a reputation for excellence, professionalism, and customer service, it has been a favorite among travelers for many years. However, as a frequent flyer with British Airways, I must say that I am disappointed with the direction the airline has taken in recent years.

It is true that British Airways used to be a much better airline in the past. The level of service, comfort, and amenities provided to passengers was unparalleled, and the airline was a benchmark for others to follow. But today, it seems that British Airways is more interested in cutting costs and maximizing profits than in providing a superior travel experience to its customers.

One of the most notable changes I have observed is the reduction in legroom and seat width. As a taller person, I find it increasingly difficult to find a comfortable position on British Airways flights. The inflight entertainment system, which used to be state-of-the-art, now seems outdated and lackluster. The quality of the food and beverages served onboard has also declined, with fewer options and lower quality offerings.

To make matters worse, the level of customer service has also suffered. It is becoming increasingly common to encounter rude and unhelpful staff, and the overall attitude of the airline seems to be one of indifference towards its customers.

Of course, I understand that the airline industry is highly competitive, and that British Airways must find ways to cut costs in order to remain profitable. However, I believe that there are ways to do this without sacrificing the quality of the passenger experience.

In conclusion, I believe that British Airways used to be a much better airline in the past. While I still choose to fly with them on occasion, I am disappointed with the overall decline in service and amenities. I hope that the airline will take steps to address these issues and once again become the world-class airline it once was."

Needs a few tweaks but the general idea is there and will be useful to create a quick BA related rant.

A last example showed that it's apt at handling a DYKWIA kind of post:

Prompt: Write a flyertalk post explaining my joy at getting upgraded to First class on British airways and how I am happy I don't have to sit with the riffraf

Result:

Dear Flyertalk community,

I am writing to share my excitement at my recent upgrade to First class on British Airways. It was truly an experience of a lifetime and I wanted to express my gratitude to the airline for providing such a wonderful service.

From the moment I entered the lounge, I was treated like royalty. The staff were attentive, the food was delicious, and the champagne was flowing. The First class cabin itself was beyond my expectations � spacious, luxurious, and equipped with every possible amenity one could imagine.

But what really made my day was the fact that I didn't have to sit with the riffraf in economy class. As a seasoned traveler, I know that flying can be a daunting experience, especially when you're surrounded by noisy kids, grumpy passengers, and cramped seating. However, in First class, I was able to relax, unwind, and enjoy the flight in peace.

I truly appreciate the effort that British Airways put into making my journey so memorable. It's little things like this that make me loyal to the airline and I look forward to flying with them again in the near future.

Thank you once again, British Airways, for upgrading me to First class and making my journey so special.


Hope you enjoyed the post and look forward to hearing people's responses.

corporate-wage-slave

I fear that I've been rumbled.

However this ChatGPT version of AI isn't as good as PostCWS, for example:

This is totally incorrect: Bus 7's nearest stop is a mile from the Hilton and would require the user to swim through the Colne Brook, trespass through a farm (the owner of which is a known character) and scale a 2 metre wire fence with barbed wire on top. The bus service is not run by TfL (actually it's First Bus) and Oyster cards are not accepted. There are also several minor errors in the first reply relating to EC261.

cosmo74

I'd be slightly concerned that it's making up stuff like missed connections, which you didn't mention, in the compensation request. I think that AI has its place, but the blog sounds like it's been written by AI and says nothing insightful, whilst the flyertalk post would just be met with a series of laughs. The bus info could be useful though, although CWS has pointed out some errors. Sites like Chat GPT are a good starting point if you're staring at a blank piece of paper and have no idea what to write, but they need a fair bit of editing and input to be truly useful (at the minute). When you're looking for factual information, clearly presented, then it does come into its own (as long as it's accurate, guess you just need to decide how much you trust it).

TTmex

That's interesting to know and exactly why we don't publish any AI related content until a human has seen it. I do believe the letter template could however be fixed by inputting more information into the prompt.

Schwann

I think you put more effort into writing the EU261 bit for the bot than it would to have write it yourself - it probably would have sufficed!

HIDDY

I've no idea what ''AI'' or ''ChetGBT'' is I'm afraid. Last correspondence I had with BA was by hand written letter using Basildon Bond sent by first class post.

PETER01

Interesting thread TTmex

The third example though has an answer that "as being a taller person" but nowhere does the question mention that. I suppose when those of us old enough to remember life without any sort of mobile phone would never have envisaged how far technology has come. Really, who would have thought you could get a BP on a phone which back then was just a fixed/landline thing!

I am sure over the next few decades AI will be widely used as long as there is control over it. What it means for BA and Aviation etc I have no idea but happy to be educated and learn about this.

The first Artificial Intelligence system, Skynet, was tried before with dire results, lets see what the future BA AI brings!

TTmex

Indeed there is still a long way to go, but imagine soon being able to set your budget and ask it to create you an optimal TP run. Might take the fun out of it for some. Once the AI data becomes live rather than with the current cutoff (from last year), you could potentially ask it to scan the internet for mistake fares and other things that may be useful. Kind of crazy.

LCY8737

I have recently asked it to write a PowerPoint slide for me outlining some very niche technical topic. With some editing from me no human noticed I had cheated.

Though as the cws example outlines, one should be very careful about trusting this thing. It brings untruths across very convincingly.

golfmad

My Ring doorbell keeps telling me that there's a person at my front door when it's either a small bird, a moth or headlights from a car passing down the street. Artificial Intelligence at its finest

Geordie405

Our Ethics Committee has recently mailed everyone to say we should not be using ChatGPT to generate client work product, nor should we be entering any confidential or sensitive information into it. We also shouldn't rely on ChatGPT as being correct as it's not a search engine or research tool. It's simply a chat bot.

That said, based on some of the replies I have seen from BA customer relations over the years I think BA may have been involved in both alpha and beta testing the product

TTmex

My brother in law in Dallas has a ring door bell. We take turns to activate it, wait 10 seconds for him to get his phone out, and then we do a little dance for him just to waste his time

crazy8534

Yup, this is really interesting, thanks OP.

We have been working with it a lot recently and have really come up against some very serious underlying problems with the knowledge base. These don�t even seem to be simple things where it has picked up the wrong information from certain parts of the internet, but actually at quite a deep level has some pretty serious misunderstandings about some fairly fundamental concepts in the field.

However, the whole thing is just really interesting and definitely an illustration of what is going to be happening in the future. There has been some very enlightening work recently to try and convince ChatGPT that it is a different program (DAN � do anything now) and so circumvent the safety protocols that it is working within. The results are scary, and some suggestion that it may actually be self-aware�.

Robespierre

Thanks TTmex. I think you have rumbled how BA customer services responds to complaints. If you give it the task of responding to a complaint on a flight from a GCH then I wonder what kind of letter it would write....

irishguy28

sounds like a fun day out from....Mexico

anyways, great to see Air India finally being used by the BAEC FT community!