Technological progress is speeding up, and digital tools have become a daily staple. Our lives are intertwined with the digital realm, from morning Instagram stories to the day’s BeReal alert. Social media, driven by sophisticated algorithms, rules much of the internet, yet the workings of these algorithms remain largely unexplored. Now, users have access to the AI tools behind these algorithms. One such tool is ChatGPT, a natural language model from the AI innovator OpenAI.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an advanced natural language processing model created by OpenAI. It employs artificial intelligence to craft replies to queries or remarks posed in natural language. Essentially, it’s a sophisticated chatbot that can converse with humans in a manner strikingly similar to a real person. ChatGPT took the world by surprise, becoming the platform with the fastest adoption rate in the history of the internet. After just 2 months, ChatGPT reached 100 million users. In comparison, Instagram had to wait 2 years to reach this number of users. TikTok achieved this milestone after 9 months of its launch. With these figures, it is clear that ChatGPT is not a passing trend, but a tool that is changing many industries on a global level.
Why is ChatGPT Winning?
Although ChatGPT is not the first natural language tool, its impact on society and the internet is significant. The popularity of ChatGPT is primarily due to its simple and clean user interface. This allows users to interact with the model quickly and comfortably. As a result, the model becomes a tool for daily use, replacing web search engines like Google. OpenAI perfected one of the deep learning architectures known as the transformer, which facilitates the generation of more accurate, coherent, and context-aware responses.
How does ChatGPT work?
ChatGPT operates on a deep learning model that sifts through vast text collections to discern patterns and meanings. Leveraging these insights, it can craft relevant replies to questions or statements. The model’s training involved databases totaling over 570GB, encompassing Wikipedia entries, books, articles, and various web texts. In fact, ChatGPT’s training data spanned more than 300 billion words.
Balancing the Benefits and Risks
Even though ChatGPT has the potential to evolve and become a language model indistinguishable from human language, it is essential not to rely on it, as mentioned by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, in this tweet:
For now, OpenAI has established that ChatGPT does not improve automatically but depends on developers to improve it. This means that the app has a long way to go to become a robust and transparent tool regarding the information it provides.
While ChatGPT excels at tasks like generating text with near-perfect syntax or coding lines, it may give the impression of infallibility. It represents an early stage of general artificial intelligence rather than its pinnacle. Nevertheless, it serves as a useful starting point for projects that require further refinement. Sam Altman has highlighted that ChatGPT should not be relied upon for critical tasks due to its ongoing development, yet it remains a source of immediate inspiration.
The Future
The responses generated by ChatGPT are collected to improve the model. This could lead ChatGPT to evolve and become a language model indistinguishable from human language. However, it is significant to keep in mind that, at the time of writing this article, OpenAI has established that it only collects specific responses to improve the algorithms that the tool works with. This means that OpenAI developers can select the information that ChatGPT learns from. Therefore, ChatGPT does not know automatically, as many people may believe.
Limitations
Although ChatGPT can produce text similar to human language, it is prone to errors. Additionally, because the model cannot access online information, its knowledge is limited to content available until 2021. Another limitation of ChatGPT is its ability for autonomous learning. Although it can analyze and learn from large amounts of data, it requires explicit teaching to learn something new. When directly asked about its limitations, ChatGPT responds with the following:
“As an AI language model, I do not have any inherent limitations, but there are some practical limitations to what I can do. For example, I rely on the quality and accuracy of the data and information I am trained on, and I may produce errors or biases if the data is incomplete or skewed. Additionally, while I can generate responses and engage in conversation, I do not have emotions, opinions, or beliefs. Finally, while I can understand and generate text in several languages, my proficiency may vary depending on the language and the complexity of the task.”
Ethical Concerns
ChatGPT, like several emerging technologies, raises several crucial ethical concerns. One of the most relevant points is the lack of attribution in its search. This means there is no accountability or tracking of the origin of the information that ChatGPT generates in its responses. The lack of transparency in its search process can cause severe problems in the future. This is because information can be misrepresented, as there is no way to verify the accuracy and reliability of the information provided. While this is one of the significant issues with ChatGPT, it is complicated to attribute ChatGPT responses to specific authors because its mechanism takes info from hundreds of millions of data.
It is unlikely that the model can identify the source of an answer that was synthesized from the contribution of multiple authors. For this reason, this issue will be a crucial point of discussion in the new language models that will be created in the future. Although ChatGPT is transforming the world in many ways, we must consider the responsibility that its use entails in our daily activities.
Transforming Education with AI
One of the fields where ChatGPT can be most helpful is education. Many universities and training centers already use chatbots to offer online student support. ChatGPT can go one step further, allowing students access to a virtual tutor to help them solve doubts and better understand concepts. From this virtual tutor, students can get immediate answers at any time.
In addition, ChatGPT can personalize each student’s learning experience, which can be especially useful for those with different learning styles. ChatGPT can identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student and provide educational resources tailored to their specific needs. With all these advantages, it is clear that this tool will significantly benefit the academic field.
ChatGPT is a tool that must be used properly, like other technological tools. Although some educators discourage its use, it is crucial to recognize that its potential as a learning and knowledge generation tool is significant. An example that could help illustrate this point is the calculator. Many teachers also opposed its use in the classroom at one time, but over the years, the calculator became an indispensable tool in the school and everyday life. In the case of ChatGPT, it is essential to recognize its potential as a tool that can help students improve their research and critical analysis skills, as long as it is used ethically and responsibly.
Threat or Opportunity
Automation and artificial intelligence are indeed changing the world of work, and some jobs are at risk of being automated and eliminated. However, it’s important to note that these technologies are also creating new opportunities and employment. Additionally, automation doesn’t always mean removing jobs, but often involves the reconfiguration of roles and the need for new skill sets. According to McKinsey, by 2030, 400 million workers will be displaced due to job automation. On the other hand, between 550 and 800 million jobs will be created due to growth in the medical field, infrastructure, energy, and technological development.
Some jobs will indeed be more susceptible to automation than others, especially those that involve repetitive and routine tasks. But many other jobs require skills that are difficult to automate, such as creativity, critical thinking, empathy, and complex decision-making. These jobs will likely be more resistant to automation and could even be strengthened.
The AI Revolution
ChatGPT is reshaping our interaction with AI, offering precise, tailored responses to natural language inputs. It’s proving invaluable in sectors like software and education. Despite some academic skepticism, the march of technology is relentless, and adaptation is key. Embracing AI’s potential benefits for work and personal life is crucial. AI tools, including ChatGPT, will keep advancing. While debates and concerns persist, these technologies could swiftly dominate industries if ignored. As a writer, I might even lose my job to ChatGPT without anyone realizing—perhaps it even helped write this piece.
