Torn between piety and incompetence
The lengthy struggling of a distant acquaintance got here to an finish just a few days in the past. She died. Although we now have had little contact with the household, we really feel compelled to ship a card of condolence. Buying the cardboard continues to be comparatively straightforward, however filling it with content material that does not sound pathetic or tacky, however on the identical time delicate and, better of all, encouraging, presents us with an enormous process once more. A lot of such playing cards had already been mendacity in entrance of me, innocently white and for a lot too lengthy, and so they wished to be given unctuous phrases in the very best sense of the phrase.
I’m serious about asking ChatGPT for a textual content, however I’m wavering between the shortage of piety I really feel and my very own incapability to formulate it. Ultimately, the strain to ship the cardboard turns into so nice that one thing has to occur. I dig out my ChatGPT credentials, log in and ask the AI for a brief card textual content on the unhappy event above.
The end result is definitely not that unhealthy:
User: I would like a brief textual content for a condolence card for the family of a distant buddy who died of most cancers. The deceased is […] years outdated and leaves behind […].
ChatGPT: Of course, here’s a suggestion for the textual content: Dear household, with nice disappointment we hear of the lack of your beloved [Name der Verstorbenen] expertise. Her life touched many and we’ll at all times bear in mind her heat character. During this time of ache and disappointment, might you discover consolation within the lovely recollections she left behind. Our ideas and prayers are with you.
With honest sympathy, [Dein Name]
I hope that is useful.
User: Thank you.
ChatGPT: Here you go. If you want additional assist or want to change something, let me know. My ideas are with you and your households throughout this troublesome time.
I really determine instantly to not settle for the end result.
At least the textual content offers me the decisive push to write down one thing fairly totally different, way more tailor-made to our relationship with the deceased, as a result of what the AI can not know is how we’re personally intertwined with the deceased. In any case, she most likely would not know that in the intervening time. In the longer term, knowledge could also be mixed in such a manner that pc methods can determine who the textual content needs to be tailor-made to. In any case, I would not rule it out. I’ll take into consideration whether or not I’ll take over the textual content when the time comes.
(Markus Winninghoff)