Welcome to Week 5!

First off, sorry for missing an edition last Monday. We had a bit of a technical malfunction and thought better to just wait until the following week. We’ll try not to let it happen again!

This week’s bumper email includes:

• 👨‍🏫 ChatGPT Prompt of the Week: Future Development Effects

• 🔗 Sharing is Caring with ChatGPT

• 📱 ChatGPT Now Available as an iOS App in New Zealand

• 📰 Windows Copilot: Your AI Personal Assistant in Windows 11

• 🎨 Generative AI Transforms Image Editing Experience in Photoshop

• 🌐 From Around the Web: Things to Know

• 🍗 AI Roast of the Week - National’s Backflip on MDRS

Remember, the more friends and colleagues that you share this newsletter with, the quicker you work your way towards a free paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus and dedicated in-person training sessions for you and your team. See the referral button at the end.

I’m also keen to hear from you and what you’d like to see each week. Hit reply and let me know!

👨‍🏫 ChatGPT Prompt of the Week: Future Development Effects

We'll provide you with an example prompt each week that you can use with ChatGPT.

This week's prompt can help you quickly determine the extent of future development effects that may need to be considered for a non-vacant lot urban subdivision under the Auckland Unitary Plan (sorry for those outside of Auckland).

I almost did not share this one, as this prompt took a lot of time to get right, and I arguably should be maintaining it as propriety (sorry CoLab). However, I really want to demonstrate the power of using these tools as part of RM consent work.

This prompt works best if you have ChatGPT Plus with GPT-4, with its more advanced reasoning. I recommend scrutinising the Step 5 figures for landscaping in particular, as the model gets a little confused with the differences between minimum and maximum coverage.

What I found interesting is the fairness that the AI sometimes introduces by way of working out proportional distribution of any minimum/maximum coverage requirements on each lot. This is a bit of extra maths that most planners will try to avoid. Of course, there may be a preference to manage on one lot rather than more than one, and this would be a discussion to be had between the council and the applicant.

It’s a very long prompt, but that’s because you need to give it a reasonable amount of context. Make sure you use a tool like Text Blaze to store your prompts and make them accessible on the fly.

Example prompt:

I am currently assessing a subdivision proposal and would like assistance in analysing potential future development effects, as outlined under the Resource Management Act 1991 of New Zealand.

Future development effects can arise from a proposed subdivision, where a lot owner could undertake additional development without the need for resource consent. This might exceed the relevant standard over the parent lot concerning maximum impervious area, maximum building coverage, and potentially the minimum landscaping area.

To assess potential future development effects, I request your assistance in performing the following steps with a step-by-step explanation of how the calculations were made:

1. Identify the maximum building coverage, maximum impervious area, and minimum landscaping area in the relevant zoning rules.
2. Calculate the maximum building coverage and impervious area and the minimum landscaping area permitted over the parent site.
3. Calculate the maximum building coverage, impervious area, and minimum landscaping area proposed and permitted on each of the proposed sites.
4. Identify those sites where the proposed building coverage or impervious area is less than the maximum, or the landscaping area is more than the minimum permitted on that site.
5. For any sites identified in step 4, consider if a future increase up to the maximum permitted building coverage or impervious area, or a decrease to the minimum permitted landscaping area, would result in non-compliance or increased non-compliance over the parent site. Pay careful attention to the landscaping area - if the calculated combined permitted minimum landscaping area across the future lots in Step 3 is less than the permitted minimum for the parent site under Step 2, a potential future development effect may be present, which requires further assessment.

The parent site under consideration has a total area of [insert total area of the parent site] m².

The zoning rules for this site are as follows:

- Maximum impervious area: [insert maximum impervious area]% gross site area
- Maximum building coverage: [insert maximum building coverage]% net site area
- Minimum landscaping area: [insert minimum landscaping area]% net site area

The subdivision proposes to create [insert number of lots proposed] lots with the following details:

Lot 1: [insert area] m², with [insert proposed/approved development details, including proposed building coverage and impervious area].
Lot 2: [insert area] m², with [insert proposed/approved development details, including proposed building coverage and impervious area].
[Continue for as many lots as necessary, and distinguish between net and gross site areas as needed]

In case of any vacant lots, we should [indicate whether to assume the maximum permitted area will be used for development or not].

Please note the following special considerations for this subdivision: [mention if there are any particular considerations such as potential landscaping requirements, specific conditions of the land use consent, etc.]

Based on the above details, I request your analysis of potential future development effects, including any recommendations on what (if any) minimum or maximum coverage limitations should be imposed on any of the proposed lots.

Lastly, should you identify potential future development effects, I request that you draft appropriate consent notice wording following the template provided below. Please undertake step-by-step calculations to determine the necessary X% and X sqm values for the drafted notice. If there are no potential future development effects identified, please state this explicitly and do not provide the consent notice wording.

Lot(s) X, Y, Z are created as part of a subdivision of parent site X [insert legal reference here]. In order to avoid future adverse [amenity/ stormwater generation etc – select/ insert relevant] effects related to impervious area/ building coverage/ landscaped area [select relevant], the impervious area/ building coverage/ landscaped area [select relevant] on Lot(s) X, Y, Z must not exceed (for impervious area and building coverage)/ be maintained at a minimum of (for landscaped area) [select relevant] X% or X sqm.

To ensure that this condition is complied with on a continuing basis, the following must be registered as a consent notice on the record(s) of title to be issued for Lot(s) X, Y, Z:

“The impervious area/ building coverage [select relevant] on Lot(s) X, Y, Z must not exceed X% or X sqm.”
AND/ OR 
“The landscaped area on Lot(s) X, Y, Z must be maintained at a minimum of X% or X sqm."

Here is an example output from this prompt:

🔗 Sharing is Caring with ChatGPT

OpenAI has announced another new feature, gradually rolling out to ChatGPT users - Shared Links.

The Shared Links feature adds a new dimension to the collaborative aspects of ChatGPT, making sharing conversations less burdensome and more insightful. Gone are the days of screenshots. You can now generate a unique URL for a ChatGPT conversation, opening a new avenue to share your interesting, humorous, or informative exchanges.

How does it work? Simple. Just hover over your ChatGPT conversation on the website (Sorry, iOS users, your turn will come soon!), and click on the shared link icon. You'll be able to preview your conversation snapshot and choose whether to share with your name or anonymously.

The shared link essentially serves as a snapshot of your conversation at the point you generated it, meaning any continuation of the conversation afterwards won't appear in the shared link. If you feel the need to update or delete the link after it's created, you can easily do so from the link share modal.

Let's discuss some possible use-cases:

1. Sharing specific conversations: This is especially useful when you want to highlight a particular piece of information or an important message to someone who was not part of the original conversation.

2. Collaborating with external parties: Need to share specific messages or conversations with contractors or clients? Shared links are the solution.

3. Creating a reference point for future discussions: When you need to refer back to a previous conversation in the future, shared links can provide the reference point you need.

Do remember that this feature comes with its responsibilities. I recommend being careful not to share any sensitive content as anyone with the link can view and continue the linked conversation. Also, keep in mind that shared links aren't designed to appear in public search results on the internet and are meant for direct sharing.

How about giving it a whirl? Hit reply and share with me your most insightful AI discussions, your lightbulb moments, or even those humorous AI missteps.

📱 ChatGPT Now Available as an iOS App in New Zealand

OpenAI continues to expand its reach globally with the release of the ChatGPT app for iOS in New Zealand. The announcement comes as part of a broader rollout strategy that has seen the app introduced in multiple countries and regions.

For those of us always on the move, the app offers the flexibility of using ChatGPT on the go, synchronising your chat history across devices for a seamless experience.

As a ChatGPT Plus subscriber, you’ll enjoy the premium offerings of GPT-4's capabilities, early access to features, and expedited response times - all from your iOS device.

But there's more - the app also integrates Whisper, OpenAI's open-source speech recognition system, bringing the power of voice input to your fingertips.

I cannot emphasise enough how great Whisper is. For those who get endlessly frustrated with trying to use text-to-speech on your mobile on the go, just to have to edit what it ‘thought you said’, you’re going to be blown away with how accurately it records what you said. No need to mention full stops or punctuation either, it just does it all for you.

Android users, hold tight - ChatGPT will be coming to your devices soon!

Hot tip - Search for OpenAI and not ChatGPT. There are hundreds of ‘ChatGPT’ apps and they’re all just using the GPT API. My recommendation is to always us the official app. OpenAI are battling this every day now.

📰 Windows Copilot: Your AI Personal Assistant in Windows 11

Microsoft has announced a new AI assistant for Windows 11 called Windows Copilot.

This integrated feature, accessible from the taskbar across all apps and programs, aims to provide users with a consistent personal assistant experience. With Windows Copilot, you’ll be able to take actions, customize settings, and seamlessly connect across your favourite applications.

Similar to Bing Chat's dialog box that we explored in our third newsletter, Windows Copilot can summarise, rewrite, and explain content you're viewing in apps.

It also goes beyond the basic Bing Chat functionality by allowing users to ask general questions and perform tasks like adjusting settings for improved focus.

Microsoft plans to conduct public testing of Windows Copilot in June before rolling it out to existing Windows 11 users. This move indicates Microsoft's commitment to integrating AI features into its operating system and empowering users with a powerful personal assistant directly within Windows.

🎨 Generative AI Transforms Image Editing Experience in Photoshop

Adobe has introduced an exciting AI addition to Photoshop: Generative AI.

By integrating Generative AI and Adobe Firefly, Photoshop users gain an extraordinary capability that unlocks their creative potential. This feature has the potential to make image editing more intuitive, powerful, and natural.

With Generative Fill, users can now prompt Photoshop using natural language to create exceptional images.

This AI-powered tool allows for adding, removing, or replacing content, as well as extending image edges. Generative Fill seamlessly integrates with all selection features, enabling non-destructive work through a new generative layer type. It is also available as a module within the Firefly beta.

Here are a few ways I feel this tool could benefit planning:

1. Rapid Iteration: Generative Fill enables quick exploration of design ideas, allowing planners and designers to visualise different possibilities efficiently. Think quick fire modifications to visual perspectives of development proposals.

2. Content Creation: Seamlessly add or replace elements in images, facilitating the creation of visuals that better represent proposed urban developments.

3. Non-Destructive Editing: The new generative layer type introduced in Photoshop allows for non-destructive editing. This means we can make changes to images without permanently altering the original, ensuring flexibility in refining designs and accommodating feedback.

4. Time-Saving: Generative Fill, combined with other new AI tools, significantly accelerates workflows, saving valuable time across all work areas.

Firefly, which launched six weeks ago, has become one of Adobe's most successful beta launches, generating over 100 million assets. Unlike other generative AI services, Firefly produces commercially viable, professional quality content from existing workflows. Adobe prioritises accountability, responsibility, and transparency, with plans for a compensation model for Adobe Stock contributors and support for open industry standards through the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI).

🌐 From Around the Web: Things to Know

It’s been a bumper fortnight and it’s hard to cover everything in depth. Below are the top things I’ve read in the past two weeks that I think you should know about in the world of AI.

1. There is a type of artificial intelligence called Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) undergoing research. Normally, GANs generate images automatically, but with a new approach called DragGAN, people can interactively change specific parts of an image by "dragging" them to a desired position. This allows for precise control over the pose, shape, expression, and arrangement of objects in the image. Researchers have developed techniques to track and manipulate these dragged points, resulting in realistic and flexible image transformations. This advancement improves on previous methods and can be used to manipulate various types of images, like animals, cars, humans, and landscapes. This could be amazing for the work we do as planners - imagine being able to take a photo of a single-storey house and make it two-storey just by dragging the roof… watch the video on Twitter below.

2. Scientists have used AI to find a new antibiotic called abaucin, which can kill a dangerous superbug called Acinetobacter baumannii. The AI helped researchers narrow down thousands of chemicals to a few that were tested in the laboratory. This AI-powered discovery process took just an hour and a half to produce a shortlist of potential antibiotics. Abaucin was found to be highly effective in treating infected wounds and killing A. baumannii in the lab. Further development and clinical trials are needed before it can be prescribed, but this breakthrough shows how AI can greatly speed up the search for new antibiotics.
   

3. Scientists have achieved a remarkable breakthrough by connecting a paralysed patient's brain to his spinal cord through implants and AI. These implants create a "digital bridge" that bypasses injured sections and allows the patient to regain control over his lower body. By capturing the patient's thoughts and translating them into stimulation of the spinal cord, the researchers enabled voluntary movement. This opens up possibilities for individuals with spinal cord injuries to stand, walk, and even experience neurological recovery. The new interface represents a significant advancement in spinal cord injury treatment and offers hope for future accessibility and effectiveness.

There is a theme here in the last two - AI could help humans live longer and remain physically able for longer. How will this change how we plan our cities?

🍗 AI Roast of the Week - National’s Backflip on MDRS

Each week, we’re going to include in this newsletter something funny ('roast' section).

While I like to try and keep this section light-hearted and focused on general planning-related topics rather than targeting specific individuals or organisations, the recent backflip on MDRS (to the collective moan of submitters, planners, and councils everywhere) by National was just too topical, and I was interested to see what spin AI would put on it.

The End (for now)

Thank you for reading our fifth issue of AI-mpowered. We hope you found the content valuable and inspiring. You can find all issues here.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with others who might also be interested in what we’re covering here.

We would also love to hear your feedback and suggestions for future newsletter topics.

If you have any specific prompts you'd like to learn about or new tools and resources you would like access to, please don't hesitate to let us know.