We analyse the effects of the ban of ChatGPT, a generative pre-trained transformer chatbot, on individual productivity. We first compile data on the hourly coding output of over 8,000 professional GitHub users in Italy and other European countries to analyse the impact of the ban on individual productivity. Combining the high-frequency data with the sudden announcement of the ban in a difference-in-differences framework, we find that the output of Italian developers decreased by around 50% in the first two business days after the ban and recovered after that. Applying a synthetic control approach to daily Google search and Tor usage data shows that the ban led to a significant increase in the use of censorship bypassing tools. Our findings show that users swiftly implement strategies to bypass Internet restrictions but this adaptation activity creates short-term disruptions and hampers productivity.
翻译:我们分析了ChatGPT生成预训练转换聊天机器人的禁令对个人生产率的影响。我们首先编制了来自意大利和其他欧洲国家的8000多名专业GitHub用户的小时编码产出数据,以分析禁令对个人生产率的影响。将高频数据与禁令的突然公告结合,在差异法框架下发现,在禁令后的前两个工作日内,意大利开发者的产出量减少了约50%,之后得以恢复。将每日的Google搜索和Tor使用数据应用于合成控制方法,结果表明禁令导致使用绕过审查的工具显著增加。我们的发现表明,用户迅速采取绕过互联网限制的策略,但这种适应活动会造成短期的干扰,并影响生产率。