This story was originally published by Cascade PBS.

When the Lummi Nation applied for funding to hire a crime victims coordinator last year, Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund sent a letter encouraging the Washington Department of Commerce to award the nation a state grant.

“The Lummi Nation has a strong history of community leadership and a deep commitment to the well-being of its members,” the letter read. “The addition of a Coordinator will enhance the Lummi Nation’s capacity to address violence and support victims in a meaningful and culturally appropriate manner.”

But the mayor didn’t write those words herself. ChatGPT did.

Records show Lund’s assistant fed the Commerce Department’s request for proposals into the artificial intelligence chatbot and asked it to write the letter for her. “

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