AI Product Developer
Technological advances are occurring at an accelerated pace, and we increasingly use digital tools daily. The presence of the digital world is already deeply rooted in our lives, from checking Instagram stories when we wake up to waiting for the BeReal notification of the day.
Although social media dominates much of the internet, thanks to their advanced algorithms, few people have investigated how these procedures work. In this way, new artificial intelligence tools that power social media algorithms are now attainable to users. One of these tools is the natural language model ChatGPT, developed by the artificial intelligence company OpenAI. If you are eager to learn more about this innovative tool, its limitations, and possible consequences, I invite you to read the following article.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a natural language model developed by OpenAI. This tool uses artificial intelligence techniques to generate responses from questions or comments written in natural language. In other words, it is a chatbot capable of engaging in conversations with humans very similarly to another 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. On the other hand, 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 ChatGPT is Winning the AI Chatbot Game Against Other Platforms
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. On the other hand, 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 uses a deep learning model to analyze collections of texts to identify patterns and semantic relationships. From these patterns, it can predict the most appropriate response to a given question or comment. The model was trained with millions of databases that exceed 570GB of storage. These databases include Wikipedia pages, books, articles, and internet texts. To be more precise, ChatGPT was trained with over 300 billion words.
Balancing the Benefits and Risks: A Critical Approach to Using ChatGPT
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:
ChatGPT is incredibly limited, but good enough at some things to create a misleading impression of greatness.
— Sam Altman (@sama) December 11, 2022
it's a mistake to be relying on it for anything important right now. it’s a preview of progress; we have lots of work to do on robustness and truthfulness.
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.
Although ChatGPT is good enough for some tasks, such as creating texts with almost perfect syntax, or lines of code, the tool can create the illusion of always having the correct answers. ChatGPT should be seen as the first glimpses of generalized artificial intelligence, not as the zenith of this new technology. However, it is handy to start any project that can later be developed in depth. Sam Altman emphasizes this point by tweeting that important things should not be trusted to ChatGPT because the tool is still in constant development, but the tool can be used for spontaneous inspiration.
Future of ChatGPT
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 of ChatGPT
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.
You know what scares me about ChatGPT:
— Leslie Feinzaig (@LeslieFeinzaig) February 16, 2023
It's search without attribution.
Zero accountability of where the data comes from, source, accuracy.
I get that right now it's just novel and cool. But if it replaces search without substantially improving attribution, we're in trouble.
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: A Glimpse into the Future
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.
Will ChatGPT help students cheat on their assignments?
If you haven’t used ChatGPT yet, it’s evident that this tool can help several students cheat on their work. However, it could be said that any technological advance helps students cheat, so it’s not a simple topic to discuss.
As technologies have been created, the concern that students make less effort has increased. For example, various educators believed that Google, Wikipedia, and the internet would ruin education. However, these tools only enhanced people’s ability to learn any discipline.
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.
ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence: Threat or Opportunity for Employment?
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-Powered Industrial Revolution: What’s Next?
ChatGPT is a tool revolutionizing how we interact with artificial intelligence. Through its ability to generate accurate and personalized responses from questions or comments written in natural language, ChatGPT has become a valuable tool for various fields, especially in software and education.
While several academics are skeptical of this new tool, it is clear that there is no turning back and that we must adapt to this new technological era. Instead of fearing artificial intelligence, it is essential to understand how it can benefit us both in the workplace and our personal lives. Regardless of our stance on this and other artificial intelligence tools, they will continue to improve and evolve.
We may have criticisms and opposing opinions about these models, but in the blink of an eye, they will take over all industries if we are not paying attention. In particular, ChatGPT may take my job as a writer, and no one will notice. Who knows, maybe even this article was written with the help of ChatGPT.