14 Mar 2025

AI Transparency: The Unveiling of Peter Kyle's ChatGPT Queries

A recent Guardian article has stirred up quite a buzz in the UK political scene. It revealed that Peter Kyle, a Member of Parliament, had been using ChatGPT to decide which podcasts he should appear on. This disclosure, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FoI) request, has left many ministers frustrated and concerned about the potential repercussions.

The article says the successful use of the FoI legislation to uncover Kyle's AI chatbot interactions has set a new precedent, prompting officials across different ministries and government departments to reconsider their recent chatbot activities.

Martin Rosenbaum, a former BBC journalist and FoI consultant, weighed in on the situation. He remarked, "It's the first time I've seen this kind of information released, but it aligns perfectly with the principles of the act. If ministers or officials are conducting work-related activities on their phones or computers, it's subject to FoI – regardless of the device. The same logic applies to prompts typed into ChatGPT or any other AI."

WhatsApp messages and texts on personal phones can already be subject to FoI requests, thanks to a series of fiercely contested cases. Despite this, officials have become adept at finding ways to reject or heavily redact responses. The decision to grant access to Kyle's ChatGPT queries has therefore shocked many experts.

Chris Stokel-Walker, the journalist behind the FoI request, revealed his surprise at the outcome. "My jaw dropped – I thought there was no way they would release this data," he said. "Since receiving the response, I've submitted additional requests for other generative AI interactions."

Click here to read the full article.