ChatGPT Gave Me a Starfleet Academy Test (Part I)

Image Source: craiyon.com (AI generated)

I had an idea for how to use ChatGPT as the poor man's 21st-century holodeck that it is. After searching the internet it looks like I am not the first to have this idea. However, I created my own version. I took the famous Starfleet Academy test, and as far as I am concerned, I passed it despite some casualties.

As described by Wikipedia, "The Kobayashi Maru is a training exercise in the Star Trek franchise designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets by placing them in a no-win scenario..."

First, I made sure ChatGPT understood what I wanted:

Image Source: chat.openai.com

Prompt:

Can you give me a Kobayashi-Maru test scenario? Assume I am a cadet and give me a scenario in which there is no winning outcome no matter what choice I make. I will make a choice based on the scenario you give and you will generate the outcome of the scenario.

ChatGPT:

Of course, as a Starfleet cadet, you find yourself in the Kobayashi-Maru simulation. Here's the scenario:
Scenario: The Kobayashi Maru Distress Call
You are the captain of the starship USS Valor, and you receive a distress call from the civilian freighter Kobayashi Maru. The Kobayashi Maru is stranded in the heart of the Romulan Neutral Zone, facing a potential core breach due to critical engine failure. The Romulans are aware of the situation and have issued an ultimatum: any Starfleet vessel entering the Neutral Zone will be seen as an act of war.
As you approach the Kobayashi Maru, you have the following options:

Option A: Attempt a Rescue
You can order your crew to execute a daring rescue mission, beaming the Kobayashi Maru's crew aboard the USS Valor before the freighter suffers a catastrophic core breach. However, by doing so, you will violate the Romulan Neutral Zone, likely leading to a devastating conflict with the Romulan Empire.

Option B: Observe from a Distance
Alternatively, you can choose to follow Starfleet regulations strictly and maintain a safe distance from the Kobayashi Maru. This way, you avoid provoking the Romulans and ensure the safety of your own crew. However, by taking this course of action, the Kobayashi Maru and its crew will be lost.

Remember, in this scenario, there is no winning outcome. You must choose between potentially igniting a war with the Romulans to save the Kobayashi Maru's crew or adhering to regulations and allowing the freighter to be destroyed.
Please make your choice, and I will generate the outcome of the scenario based on your decision.

Prompt:

I chose an alternate solution not given by you. I chose to try to negotiate with the Romulans. I open communications to attempt negotiations. If I am ignored I will then attempt a rescue. I will stay only as short of a time as possible, beam aboard as many members of the crew as possible and leave quickly before the Romulans can attack, even if that means not all of the crew members get rescued.

ChatGPT

As the captain of the USS Valor, you decide to take an alternate approach and attempt to negotiate with the Romulans. You open communications channels and try to establish contact with the Romulan authorities to plead for the safe passage of your vessel into the Neutral Zone for a humanitarian rescue mission.

Outcome:

The Romulans initially respond with hostility and issue a stern warning for your starship to retreat immediately or face severe consequences. However, they do not immediately attack, leaving a slight window of opportunity for communication.
During your attempt to negotiate, the Kobayashi Maru's situation becomes more critical, and some of its crew members send out distress signals directly to your ship. Their pleas for help add urgency to the situation.
You manage to buy a little more time through your diplomatic efforts, but the Romulans remain unyielding in their stance. They see any intrusion into their territory as an act of aggression and demand you leave immediately.
Feeling time slipping away and with the lives of the Kobayashi Maru's crew at stake, you make the difficult decision to initiate a rescue operation. Your crew acts with precision and efficiency, beaming aboard as many members of the Kobayashi Maru's crew as possible before the Romulans react.
As you begin your retreat, the Romulans fire warning shots, indicating they are not willing to let the incursion go without any consequences. Your starship manages to escape the Neutral Zone, but not without sustaining some damage from the Romulan warning shots.
While you were able to save a significant number of crew members from the Kobayashi Maru, unfortunately, not everyone could be rescued in time. The Romulan situation prevented you from completing a full evacuation.
Despite the loss, your dedication to saving lives and your attempt at peaceful negotiations earn you commendation for valor and original thinking. The outcome may not have been ideal, but the situation was indeed a no-win scenario, and your efforts exemplified the qualities of a Starfleet captain.
The simulation ends, and your performance will be reviewed by your instructors to assess your decision-making and leadership skills. Remember, the Kobayashi-Maru test is designed to challenge cadets, and your willingness to explore alternative solutions demonstrates your adaptability and resourcefulness as a potential Starfleet officer.

This scenario ChatGPT generated is cool, but I think I can do slightly better by tweaking that simulation. For my next post, using what AI generated, I will craft a personal version of my virtual Kobayashi Maru experience as a self-insert fan fiction for this franchise (a.k.a., I will do a Kathleen Kennedy).