Beat The Clock

If you do the X / Bluesky thing, follow me at @HousingITguy or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

AI’s everywhere now — even in Notepad, which surely was the last sacred space left for a simple no frills fallen Catholic lad like me, seeking to edit some simple text. 

Microsoft’s Copilot has spread faster than damp in a no-fines housing block, and it’s not cheap either. Every Microsoft app now seems to come with its own floater Copilot icon, even when you really don’t need it. If you’re opening Notepad, you’re after a LoFi experience, not a bot suggesting it rewrites your SQL query or changes its tone. I mean, is that really a thing?

Being a paying customer, I decided to put Copilot to work. The task: turn some housing system requirements into a basic usable UAT test plan. A small test batch went fine — so far, so good. Then I asked it to tackle the full-fat version: hundreds of items, each needing a clear test description. That’s where things went somewhat pear-shaped.

You’d think Copilot would handle this as a simple batch job. Maybe take 30 to 90 minutes, tops. Instead, what followed was an epic exchange that would make Kafka proud — Copilot repeatedly assuring me the file was ‘finalised and ready’ while the promised download link stayed as elusive as a decent broadband connection on a 1970’s housing estate.

Over the next nine days — yes, days — I was fed updates like ‘I’m still monitoring for the download card’, ‘Still waiting’, and ‘We’ll raise that victory flag together’. At one point, Copilot compared our ordeal to trench warfare and even offered to draft my complaint email to Microsoft Support. It admitted that these delays ‘happen quite a bit’ and that other AI tools sometimes do a better job, even within Microsoft’s own ecosystem. That’s not exactly the reassurance you want when you’re paying extra wonga for Copilot in your M365 licence.

In the time Copilot was losing the plot, I fired up ChatGPT. The free version produced an acceptable result in about half an hour. With the paid plan, I got a refined, professional-grade output in under an hour. It was like watching Max Verstappen lap a stranded Invacar driven by Lee Anderson around Silverstone Circuit — entertaining, but also deeply revealing.

It raises the obvious question: why are some AI tools so bad? Or more precisely, why is Copilot so bad at the basics when Microsoft is charging us premium prices for it? If it can’t even hand over a simple Excel file without turning it into a week-long odyssey, that’s not artificial intelligence — that’s artificially induced patience. Copilot is the only AI bolted in to MS Office applications, should it not be way, way better?

AI should make work faster and easier, not turn seasoned IT professionals into trench poets. If Microsoft wants to keep its loyal base of business users on board, it needs to beat the clock — not make us feel like we’re back on dial-up waiting for a Napster download that never arrives.

It’s a reminder that AI isn’t really intelligence — it’s prediction with good marketing. When it works, it’s magic. When it doesn’t, you’re arguing with a dumb chatbot that thinks it’s in the trenches with you.

So, Copilot — ten days, no file. ChatGPT — half an hour, job done. If this is the future of productivity, I’ll stick with the AI that doesn’t need a victory flag just to finish an export. Share my pain here.

In procurement's what value do reference site conversations bring ? 

Get in touch , I will drop in for a hot brew & bring the Jammy Dodgers ☕

       Related Post: Webchat - is it really worth bothering ?

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Sparks – Beat The Clock

(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here , what projects do we get involved in? Access them here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.

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Artificial

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

Its been out nearly a whole month at the time of writing this, since the latest chatbot on the block, has been available to play with. 

In the past you may have read about a few other chatbots that have come unstuck. ChatGPT from Silicon Valley outfit OpenAI seems to be the first to pass 'The Nazi test'.

There are stories of A-Level & degree students knocking up essays and even I managed to knock up a great 300 word one on George Orwell, but it stopped short when asked about doing a 5,000 word one. Maybe you only get so much for free ?

We have been here before however….

Tay you might remember, was a chatbot developed by Microsoft in 2016 as an experiment in artificial intelligence and machine learning. It was designed to be a social media bot that could learn from and interact with users on platforms such as Twitter and Kik. It was designed to mimic the language and behaviour of a young adult and was programmed to respond to users in real-time. It was intended to be used as a way for users to have fun and engage with artificial intelligence in a playful manner. The more you chat with Tay, said Microsoft, the smarter it gets, learning to engage people through "casual and playful conversation."

Unfortunately in less than a single day, it had learned right-wing and Nazi principles directly from Twitter users interacting with it maliciously. Here’s a sample:

That kicked off quickly !

No at this point I can forgive Microsoft haters, that might just say, “What a typical MS schoolGates error”. Didn’t Microsoft do any real-world testing before releasing this cluster-f*** into the world, to last not quite just 15 hours? Most humans have filters to some degree, but raw AI? It’s a potential lawsuit waiting to happen. Which is probably why Alphabet/Google and others have been dabbling with this tech for many years, but are in no rush seemingly as yet to release it

Also, as I discovered, the current incarnation of ChatGPT and the way it serves up responses, might well seriously disrupt the ads first way Google works to turn its dollar. 

Do I think it passes the mathematician Alan Turing test? Well, it comes close!

The currently available incarnation has certain limits, however returns results in a believable natural language (whichever language you happen to speak):

Oh la la 👍

It’s a fun utility to play with, if you have (too much) time on your hands

Well I am happy with that

You can even ask it for code snippets, including SQL statements, Javascript, C++, VB, SalesForce APEX, SAP ABAP, old skool COBOL and PERL. I tested out a few languages I have worked with in the past.

A lot of the examples are accurate and very close to believable answers. Give some of these a try yourself. Once signed up and verified, you will be asking crazy questions within three minutes.

Need any relationship advice 😉

Just taking the above (totally fictional I assure you!) example into account, I think The Sun's, Dear Deirdre column writer, could be in trouble!

Here’s a response to a professional question, I am often asked in my working life:

Suppliers, do you recognise yourselves in there ?

This is all very readable and believable, however in relation to the question asked, I would only score this answer slightly under 40%. I know to interpret the answer in that way and even the broadly correct parts, do not reflect that Northgate has been NEC for over a year, as has Orchard been part of MRI for longer than that and branded so. Core housing above looks to refer to eCORE reporting

After an hour of working with ChatGPT you like me, will trust it a lot, although I know that at times reliability is not always greater than 90%. We definitely need to question everything AI serves up, just as any of us might be questioned in our day-to-day job roles. It could be quite easy to act totally innocently on the results being served up, although without verification in the real world, serious mistakes could be made.

ChatGPT is very limited. No outside access to the internet, trained by humans its claimed. Its "good enough at some things to create a misleading impression of greatness", is how one tweeter described it. This is quite accurate for the moment I feel.

Maybe replacing expensive ICT staff and experienced consultants, is not totally practical at the moment for SocialHousing ICT🤔. However this is useful, although clearly currently the chatbot does not have access to wider weblinks and very much has relied on (truthful humans?) helping to shape content and truthfulness. Clearly this is a more expensive option than just trawling and scraping the web for all kinds of content. A bit like the initial aim of Yahoo.

You will also notice that ads and weblinks are not being served up. Google has conditioned us to wade though ads and find our own best quality links. When we click on an ad, Google earns its 50p or whatever that click is priced at. Searching using ChatGPT frees the user from a lot of that chaff. However, its inherent risk of incorrect or misleading info, needs to be taken into account at all times.

OpenAi currently are slightly immune currently from the types of media storms that might result if say Google, Amazon or Meta released a new chatbot, making mistakes, spreading conspiracy theories or untruths. This would most likely be a major issue and hence I think why they are holding back currently. Also of course, how is this best monetised?

Clearly at some point, openAI who have had incredible investment so far, need to properly monetise this too. We are at the start of a journey here, expect the mainstream chatbots to come and new applications to come out of it. Embrace it when they come, however also consider the risks, commercially and reputationally.

If we at Acutance Consulting can help your organisation with customer service solutions, 

please just get in touch, for a friendly chat over a brew & some Chocolate Gingers ☕😋.

       Related Post: Can we afford Web Chat? 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

X-Ray Spex - Artificial.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.

File Under: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica 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pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS Job Manager Mobile,NROSH,Natural,Neighbourhoods and Communities,Nintexworkflow,Northgate,Northgate Codeman,Northgate Public Services,Notice, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,OJEU Limits,ORS,Ohms,OmFax,Omniledger,One,OneAdvanced,OneServe,Open source,OpenContractor,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Options,Optitime,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OutSystems, PIMMS,PIMSS Data,PM,PRINCE2,Paloma,Pamwin,PanConnect,People Value,Peoplevalue,PfH,Pick,PlanForm,Planned maintenance,Plenfific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United 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