Ignorance, confidence and cricket
How does Automated Intelligence compare with the school of second grade?
Erik Anders Lang of Random Golf Club is one of my favourite creators.
Apart from being “Sia’s ex-husband" (seriously that’s the first thing that pops up when you Google him), Erik is a wonderful storyteller, filmmaker and entrepreneur. His “all are welcome” philosophy when it comes to golf has helped to grow a passionate and friendly community of golfers, as he strives to help people create meaningful bonds both on and off the course.
I’m a big fan. And Mark Twain said there is no such thing as an original idea, so I wasn’t afraid to borrow from Erik for a story, after seeing him quiz Chat GPT with some hard-hitting golf questions.
I don’t know a whole bunch about AI – except that LinkedIn thinks I should become an “AI copywriter” (?), so was keen to have a chat with GPT. Would its data driven takes on cricket match up with mine? How does the school of second grade compare with a machine-learnt algorithm?
We got off to a rocky start.
I've already put forth a case for cricket being a game for the bowlers, but our AI chatbot begged to differ. At this point, I was glad to have enforced a one-word limit for the answer, because any justification could only be maddening.
Onto the second question, I asked whether captains should bat or bowl if they win the toss.
Initially indecisive, “depends” turned to “bat” when GPT was pressed to analyse thousands of (in)famous decisions at the toss – think Nasser at the Gabba and Punter at Edgbaston. Perhaps GPT also leant on WG Grace’s truism...
“When you win the toss, bat. If you are in doubt, think about it then bat. If you have very big doubts, consult a colleague, then bat.”
Unfortunately for cricket’s greatest bastard, that’s where the love for Grace ended, as the chatbot proclaimed Sir Len Hutton to be England’s greatest ever batsman, not the tubby bloke with a beard.
As for the best ever? Bradman is an easy one for non-cricket people on a citizenship test. No issues here.
And currently? Perhaps AI knows something we don’t because Kane Williamson does not sit atop any of the ICC’s batting rankings, but the Kiwi is GPT’s favourite. Maybe machine learning has developed the capacity to see past the raw numbers and consider Kane’s good nature, too.
After all, cricket is “traditionally” a gentleman’s game.
As with the ICC, Chat GPT believes India is the best country in the world to play cricket, but reserves a spot for Lord’s as the best ground. Evidently AI wants a seat at the lunch table at the Home of Cricket.
As it relates to lunch, tea and drinks, AI is getting a sense for the game at the grass-roots, too. Sandwiches are the best food to bring to the communal tea table, orange is the cordial of choice in the Esky, and a pale ale is deemed the most refreshing post-match beverage.
An advocate for sharing a chat with the opposition after play, AI understands the importance of creating meaningful relationships in the change room. It decries cricket’s infamous practice of communal showers likely for the same reason.
Back out on the field, and Chat GPT concludes that cricket is the most mentally taxing of all sports, due to the high levels of focus required for extended periods of time.
Periods that are becoming shorter and shorter with the proliferation of new formats, AI is confident that Test cricket is supreme, and that we will still be playing the longest format five years from now.
A questionable take in itself, GPT doubled down, declaring twelve countries will still be playing against each other in whites in 2029.
That was my queue to end the exercise, but I was reminded of one other Mark Twain quote:
“All you need in life is ignorance and confidence. Then success is sure.”
And make no mistake, Chat GPT sure is successful.
Genuine laughter … and lessons learned.