We asked ChatGPT about Public Art in Qatar. Here’s what happened.

The Assignment

We tasked ChatGPT with creating a list — in English — of the top 10 most amazing facts about public art in Qatar. (Although we attempted a similar request in Arabic, the outcome was not encouraging.)

The Process

• In our initial attempt, we approached ChatGPT with a request to develop a "list of top 10 amazing facts about public art in Qatar." While the response was fast, the results were somewhat inadequate, lacking actual verifiable "facts."
• To address this, we tried modifying the question to ask for a "list of top 10 amazing facts and statistics about public art in Qatar." This yielded an improved list, though not yet perfect.
• Consequently, we decided to amalgamate both sets of results, selecting points that appeared as interesting facts or contained statistical data.
• Finally, we compiled a structured list comprising 10 points and shared it with our colleagues in the Public Art Department at Qatar Museums for fact-checking and general review.

The Results

Here is the text generated by ChatGPT, with our assessment included.

Public art is an integral part of Qatar's cultural landscape, and the country has invested heavily in creating public spaces that are not only functional but also visually appealing. Here are some amazing facts and statistics about public art in Qatar:

1. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art programme began in 2013 as part of the country's efforts to create a more vibrant and attractive urban environment.
   Qatar Museums: First, we should say that this article is referring specifically to the Qatar Museums Public Art Programme, not the country of Qatar. This is something that apparently should have been specified in our request to the AI tool. Our first public art installation was in 2006, and the second was 2009. Three more public artworks were installed in 2011, the programme has been growing steadily each year since.
   Assessment: False / Inaccurate
   
2. ChatGPT: Qatar has commissioned over 150 public art installations across the country, including over 50 public sculptures, over 60 murals, and over 30 installations.
   Qatar Museums: We have around 146 public artworks, including murals.
   Assessment: Misleading / inaccurate. It is not the country of Qatar that has commissioned the artworks, it is Qatar Museums.
   
3. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art programme has attracted over 3 million visitors since its inception in 2013.
   Qatar Museums: We cannot count or measure how many people visit the actual artworks, since they are in public spaces.
   Assessment: False. This is a “fact” that the AI tool made up and is impossible to verify.
   
4. ChatGPT: The programme has helped to create over 100 jobs for artists and other creative professionals.
   Qatar Museums: We cannot speak to the number of jobs created.
   Assessment: False. This is another “fact” that the AI tool made up and is impossible to verify.
   
5. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art program has been recognized as one of the most ambitious and comprehensive public art programs in the world.
   Qatar Museums: Regarding its ambition and comprehensiveness, it's definitely the aim.
   Assessment: Neither true nor false. This is an opinion, not a fact.
   
6. ChatGPT: The public art installations in Qatar are created by both local and international artists, and the works range from abstract pieces to figurative sculptures.
   Qatar Museums: Yes, this is accurate.
   Assessment: True
   
7. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art program is not limited to urban spaces. The country has also commissioned art installations in public parks and nature reserves, such as the "East-West/West-East" installation by Richard Serra in the Brouq Nature Reserve.
   Qatar Museums: Yes, this is accurate.
   Assessment: True
   
8. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art installations are not limited to traditional mediums. The country has also invested in digital and interactive installations, such as the "Orbital Garden" by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, which is an interactive light and sound installation.
   Qatar Museums: The first part of this statement is true – we have invested in artworks of all mediums. However, Orbital Garden is not one of them, and we cannot actually find the reference to an installation of this name by Lozano-Hemmer so cannot verify if and when it took place.
   Assessment: Partially true
   
9. ChatGPT: Qatar's public art program has also helped to foster a sense of community and identity among its citizens. The installations celebrate Qatar's heritage, culture, and natural environment, and are often created in collaboration with local communities.
   Qatar Museums: While we agree that our installations have added to the discussion about art in public spaces and have added a vibrancy that wasn't there before, this is an opinion.
   Assessment: Neither true nor false. This is an opinion, not a fact.
   
10. ChatGPT: Finally, Qatar's public art program is an ongoing initiative, with new installations and projects being commissioned regularly.
    Qatar Museums: Yes, this is accurate.
    Assessment: True

What It Got Right

Speed: In a few seconds, the ChatGPT developed a list of 10 statements.

Structure: The article was well structured and included an introduction and a summary.

What It Got Wrong

Accuracy: Only 3 out of 10 statements were correct. Of the remaining 7 statements, 3 were definitively false, 2 were opinions, 1 was half true, and 1 was misleading.

Redundancy: The original text doesn’t flow very well or sound conversational. In short, it still sounds “artificial.”

Lack of Nuance: ChatGPT’s statements did not distinguish between different organisations in Qatar.

Language bias: ChatGPT’s Arabic content was even less fit for publication than the English.

Overall Impression

While it was interesting to have ChatGPT generate a list of relevant information from a variety of sources in almost no time, the tool is not quite there yet for true editorial content. Overall, writers and editors still need to review ChatGPT's output carefully and make necessary edits before publishing. Also, the tool is a long way from being useful for generating original content in Arabic. The biggest concern at the moment is the lack of accuracy and the fabrication of “facts” out of thin air. But, along with everyone else, we’re curious to see how AI develops to address these issues.

Ali Alzuheiri is a Senior Editorial Specialist at Qatar Museums.