Can AI replace a king?
Can AI write a King’s speech? On 6 May 2023 King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey. A chance for Britain to showcase what it’s really good at. Arguably, not much these days aside from making a song and dance about itself and its history. In 1953, after the ceremony itself and its ceremonial oath of office, Queen Elizabeth II made a speech to the nation.
Colin Firth filming ‘The King’s Speech’
courtesy of www.lancashire.gov.uk, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
On a news report this morning (30 March) I noticed a lovely WWII veteran being, rightly, very proud of the fact that the King had chosen hime for recognition in upcoming honours for his voluntary services to children’s education. I reflected that it was highly unlikely that the King had actually chosen him, and it was a little sad that far more likely this was the product of some bureaucratic process of submissions and rankings and filtering and suchlike. But if he was under the illusion that he had been hand-picked by the new monarch himself, well that probably wasn’t such a bad thing…
Which led me to think - what other functions of the monarch can be replaced, or rendered more efficient? I asked ChatGPT and Bard to have a go at writing his Coronation Day speech, in advance of the real thing. Let’s see how close they get. Charlie - watch out, your job could be on the line here…!
ChatGPT:
Here’s ChatGPT’s first effort (the free one - v3.5):
"My fellow Britons,
Today, I stand before you humbled and honored to assume the mantle of kingship in this great nation. As I stand here, I am keenly aware of the rich history and tradition of the British monarchy and the enormous responsibilities that come with this role.
My mother, Queen Elizabeth II, has dedicated her entire life to serving this country, and I can only hope to follow in her footsteps and continue to serve you to the best of my abilities.
As many of you know, I have long been passionate about a number of issues that are close to my heart. These include the environment, sustainable agriculture, and the well-being of young people.
The challenges facing our planet are significant and urgent. Climate change threatens the very fabric of our existence, and it is up to us to take action to ensure that future generations inherit a healthy and sustainable planet. I am committed to working with all of you to address this challenge, both in the UK and around the world.
In addition, I believe that the future of agriculture lies in sustainable, regenerative practices that respect the land and promote biodiversity. I will continue to support and champion these practices, which have the potential to both feed our growing population and protect our natural resources.
Finally, as a father and grandfather, I am deeply concerned about the well-being of young people, especially in these difficult times. Mental health, education, and opportunities for employment and personal growth are all critical issues that we must address as a society. I will do everything in my power to support and empower young people, who are the future of this country.
As we move forward into a new era, I am committed to upholding the values that have made this nation great – integrity, honor, and duty. I pledge to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and prosperity of all my subjects, and to continue to build bridges of understanding and cooperation with other nations around the world.
I understand that this is a time of great change and uncertainty, but I am confident that we can face these challenges together as a united people. Let us remember that our strength lies in our diversity, and that we are stronger when we stand together.
May God bless the United Kingdom and all who call it home. Thank you."
Wordcloud of ChatGPT draft of King Charles’s likely Coronation day speech.
Future-looking, people and sustainability to the fore.
Bard
And here is what Bard came up wth:
“My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I stand before you today as your new King. I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me, and I pledge to serve you to the best of my ability.
I know that I am not the first monarch to stand in this place and make such a pledge. But I also know that I am the first to do so in a time of great change and uncertainty.
The world is facing challenges that are unprecedented in our history. The climate is changing, and our way of life is being disrupted by new technologies. We are also facing a rise in populism and nationalism, and a growing sense of division and mistrust.
In these difficult times, I believe that the most important thing we can do as a nation is to come together. We must work together to find solutions to the challenges we face. We must build a more sustainable future, and we must create a more just and equitable society. I believe that the monarchy can play a vital role in bringing people together. We are a symbol of national unity, and we can help to bridge the divides that exist in our society.
I believe that the monarchy can play a vital role in bringing people together. Monarchy is a symbol of national unity and a force for good in the world. We have a long and proud history of service to our country, and I pledge to continue that tradition. I will work tirelessly to uphold the values of the monarchy and to serve the people of the United Kingdom.
I will be a King for all the people of this country, regardless of their background or beliefs. I will work tirelessly to serve you and to uphold the values that we share.
I ask for your support and your prayers as I begin this new chapter in my life. Together, we can build a better future for our country and for our world.
Thank you.”
Wordcloud of Bard draft of King Charles’s likely Coronation Day speech.
Much less specific, self-centred (on the king and the monarchy)?
Comparison:
Once he’s made his actual speech, I will loop back and compare to these drafts. Both the AI speeches seem ok to me, neither is particularly inspiring or creative of course, but for my money the ChatGPT is more ‘Charles’ and Bard more ‘generic monarch’. Incredibly unfair I know. Pulling out the main themes and stats, ChatGPT has produced 398 words while Bard has written 340. Neither seems to have given much ‘thought’ to how long a coronation speech would typically be. Queen Elizabeth II made a speech on the day of her coronation in 1953, and it comprised 641 words. You can find it here.
The ChatGPT draft addresses:
Charles’s mother and his desire to follow in her footsteps in serving the nation
His commitment to work tirelessly to address climate change
Support for and championing of sustainable and regenerative agriculture
The well-being of young people
The values he will champion and that have made this country great - integrity, honour, and duty
By contrast, Bard talks about:
The unprecedented changes and challenges we face
The need for unity as we move to address these challenges
The role of a monarch in promoting and role-modelling unity
Bard gives only passing mention to the actual challenges themselves, and is less ‘opinionated’ - in mentioning climate, technology, populism, nationalism, division and distrust. It does say we must build a more sustainable future and a more just and equitable society.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
What do you think King Charles will talk about?
Will he or his speech writers add value compared with AI, or could they better spend their speech-writing minutes doing something else?
And who wins out of Bard and ChatGPT?
