ChatGPT for president!
At least it knows what's expected
I asked ChatGPT to write a job description for the perfect president.
Here’s what it produced (in about fifteen seconds):
Job Title: President of the United States
Job Summary: The President of the United States is the highest elected official and leader of the country. The President must serve as a representative of the American people and work towards the betterment of the nation as a whole. The ideal candidate for this role should possess excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, as well as have a strong commitment to public service and the well-being of all Americans.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead the country with integrity, transparency, and honesty
Build relationships with key stakeholders, including members of Congress, foreign leaders, and the American people
Create and implement policies that support the economic, social, and political progress of the United States
Ensure the safety and security of the nation and its citizens
Uphold the Constitution and defend the rights and freedoms of all Americans
Work collaboratively with other government officials and agencies to achieve common goals
Represent the United States in international affairs and diplomacy
Demonstrate sound judgment in making decisions that impact the welfare of the country and its people
Be a role model for ethical behavior and inspire others to do the same
Requirements:
Must be a natural-born citizen of the United States
Must be at least 35 years of age
Must have resided in the United States for at least 14 years
Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
Knowledge and understanding of the Constitution and the political process
Commitment to public service and the betterment of all Americans
A proven track record of achievement in leadership positions
Ability to work collaboratively with others towards common goals
Sound judgment and the ability to make difficult decisions when necessary
Salary and Benefits: The President of the United States receives a salary of $400,000 per year, as well as a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 travel account, and a $19,000 entertainment account. Additionally, the President receives access to top-notch medical care, a private jet, and a fleet of vehicles. The President and their immediate family also receive round-the-clock protection from the Secret Service.
I’ve been thinking about this answer for a lot longer than fifteen seconds. I’m still not sure what to make of it. I’m tempted to take a cheap shot at the people who have run for and held the office during the last half-century or so, and remarked that very few of them could have produced a clearer description of what they were volunteering for. (I could have gone much further back than a half-century, but I’ll leave it at that.)
On the other hand, I could say that being president is harder than being a chatbot. Bots don’t have to give inspiring speeches—though they certainly could write them (look for this in a future post). Bots don’t have to negotiate with members of Congress—though they probably could devise a plausible negotiating strategy. Bots don’t have to give Americans the warm fuzzies—though plenty of presidents have failed conspicuously in this regard.
I certainly wouldn’t say we should turn our political leadership over to the bots. If we spend years in litigation about voting machines, imagine what the lawyers would do with software black boxes.
This will require more thought.
But how about an interim suggestion: Each major party gets a bot, which writes the party platform for 2024. Then, at the start of the campaign season that fall, we hold a debate between the bots. We could have representatives of the two parties read the responses, much as human assistants make the physical moves in games of chess and Go played by computers.
Who knows? One of the bots might be impressive enough to earn a job in the administration of the victor. When Jack Warner was told Ronald Reagan was running for California governor, the Hollywood studio boss replied, “No, no—Jimmy Stewart for governor; Reagan for best friend.”
The bots aren’t ready to be president, but one might make a good sidekick.