A motorist who received a fine after driving through Gatwick Airport’s drop-off area used ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) to challenge the fine and won a much-reduced penalty. Shaun Bosley, of Brighton, was dropping off a coworker at the airport last November when he received a £100 “final notice” from NCP several months later, despite claiming to have received no previous correspondence. Mr Bosley, a sales consultant for Phyron, a Swedish company that uses artificial intelligence to create videos for car dealerships, turned to ChatGPT, which generates human-like conversations. Users type a request into a chat box, and the system responds almost immediately.
“In the end, I just typed, ‘Write an appeal to a penalty charge notice for driving through Gatwick airport. I received final notice but never received first notice of the penalty, and it was immediately returned with a great response,” he told the PA news agency. ChatGPT assisted him in drafting the appeal, which referred to the “undue stress and hardship” caused by the final notice and also requested that NCP provide “information regarding the circumstances” as to why Mr Bosley had not received a first notice.
“I recognise that it is my obligation as a motorist to be mindful of the laws and rules concerning driving through an airport,” ChatGPT wrote in the appeal letter. However, because I did not receive the first notice of the penalty, I wasn’t given a chance to challenge the charge or pay the fine on time.” I believe the debt collection process was initiated prematurely, and I respectfully request that you rethink the punishments imposed.” Drivers dropping off passengers at Gatwick Airport must charge £5 for a maximum of 10 minutes. They are billed an extra £1 for each additional minute they stay, with a maximum stay of 20 minutes.
Mr Bosley stated that NCP responded “the next day” and reduced the fine to the original amount of £15. “It’s insane how it writes like a human,” he added. It was so conversational that I didn’t have to look at it and think, ‘that sounds like a robot, I need to change some of that.’ NCP told PA it “takes appeals on their own individual merit”.
The full text of the ChatGPT written appeal:
“Dear Sir or Madam,
“I’m writing to inquire about a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) I received for driving through Gatwick Airport. I received a final notice but did not receive the initial penalty notice.”
“I understand that it is my obligation as a driver to be mindful of the laws and regulations regarding cruising through an airport. However, because I did not receive the first notice of the penalty, I wasn’t given the chance to contest the charge or make the payment on time.”