Overcoming Role-Play Limitations with AI Simulators: A Discussion with Negotiation Expert Courtney Chicvak
Written By Daniella Kahane
As AI takes the world by storm, people are divided on how to feel about its uses and implications. In a previous WIN Blog Article, we discussed how AI could help women improve their negotiation skills and pointed out that AI platforms can simulate negotiation scenarios and provide instant feedback. Recently one of WIN’s Negotiation Coaches, Coutney Chicvak, has been collaborating with a group of computer science experts to develop a negotiation simulation that women can use to practice handling gender bias during negotiations. The tool functions as a role-playing scenario, where the user plays the part of a female negotiator, and ChatGPT takes on the role of a challenging male colleague. Following the role-play, ChatGPT provides feedback on what aspects went well and what areas could be improved. WIN Executive Director and CEO, Daniella Kahane sat down with Courtney to discuss this tool, its development, and her hopes for its usage.
What was the genesis of this AI simulation project? How did it come about?
I have been teaching and coaching students in negotiation and conflict resolution for many years at universities and organizations around the world. During this time, I often pondered how technology could be used to improve student outcomes. Fortunately, Kevin Jiang, the CEO of Simulations Labs, contacted negotiation instructors at top universities and found me on the Columbia University website. During our discussion, he described how he had graduated from MIT in computer science and recognized the limitations of roleplays in negotiation classes. He identified an opportunity to develop a platform for student learning that utilized GPT-4, Open AI’s most advanced large language model. Together with Aryo Patel, his Co-Founder and a computer science student at MIT, they developed a program where GPT-4 acts as a role player during negotiation scenarios, and the program provides feedback to students after the exercise. As a content creator on their website, I have been intrigued by the program's potential and have designed several scenarios to help students learn in different settings.
Why is it important?
As soon as I discovered this program, I realized it could greatly benefit women seeking to improve their negotiation skills. Studies have revealed that women encounter different obstacles than men when negotiating, specifically that they are less likely to advocate for themselves and will ask for less compared to their male counterparts, and this role play is designed to specifically address those challenges in a secure and structured environment. I am hopeful that with this resource, women will be equipped to handle challenging negotiations with confidence and finesse, leading to mutually beneficial outcomes and increased workplace equality.
Did you have any previous experience with AI?
I had the privilege of attending a Santa Clara School of Law event in 2019 that focused on online dispute resolution. At that time, it was considered innovative to use Zoom during mediations and negotiations, as it was commonly believed that such meetings should be held in person. On Zoom, in 2020, I presented my research on the impact of artificial intelligence in the workplace at the International Association for Conflict Management. Recently, I was honored to be a panelist at an event hosted at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. During this event, we discussed the international implications of artificial intelligence in the legal field. As a result, I co-authored the first Universal Declaration on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Profession.
What was something surprising or visceral that emerged for you through this design process?
As the creator of the role-play scenario, I had to instruct GPT-4 on how to play the male character during the negotiation. I gave some general guidelines that the character should be challenging and patronizing. When I clicked the "start" button to begin the simulation, GPT-4 automatically started explaining the concept of negotiation in a condescending way, as if I didn't already know it! I was impressed by how realistic the situation felt but also saddened by the fact that many women experience this kind of behavior when negotiating for themselves. This type of program is much needed to help women prepare for difficult negotiations and to be able to excel in the workplace.
What do you hope to achieve with this negotiation simulation?
I am confident that this role-play program will be empowering and uplifting for women who want to improve their negotiation skills. It is convenient, accessible, and private, which is especially helpful for women who are busy juggling work and family responsibilities. Unlike traditional coaching classes, this program won't disrupt their schedule. Additionally, finding a negotiation partner and practicing in front of a group can be challenging and uncomfortable. This role play addresses these challenges and provides a solution.
Do you have any specific anecdotes yet of its success/helpfulness?
At Long Island Dispute Resolution Centers, our mediators were given the chance to simulate community mediation. We received positive feedback regarding how easily mediators were able to access and practice using the role-play scenarios. Interestingly, in the Community Mediation scenario, GPT-4 is trained broadly so it invents a new dispute between neighbors during each play, making it easily reusable and providing a unique experience for each play. Furthermore, a tip to new players is to enable auto-dictation on your computers to simplify the process of recording instead of manually typing.
Do you know how many people have used it or interacted with it thus far? And will it keep learning through usage or get better as people interact with it?
The program is used by professors at Harvard, MIT, and Yale and has a growing user base. For any questions relating to the platform and technology, Kevin and Aryo can be reached at founders@simulationlabs.ai.
Anything else we should know?
The amazing feature of the platform is that an individual can both view existing role plays from other creators and create their own role plays to share! Since no coding experience is needed to create role plays or use them, I found it to be very accessible. The applications are endless; in addition to using the program for learning, it’s even possible to create fun games on the platform as well.
If you are interested in this role-playing platform, you can access it here: https://simulationlabs.ai/play?id=rXFLALiA.
