What is ChatGPT?
OpenAI’s website states, “ChatGPT: Optimizing Language Models for Dialogue.” This statement aligns with ChatGPT’s capabilities to model human dialogue and human conversation. ChatGPT is an AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot service that can continue a conversation with you for hours on end and answer any question you have. ChatGPT is developed on a platform called GPT-3.5, developed by OpenAI. As an AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT provides a singular, detailed answer to any prompt. It is a “large language model,” AI-trained to comprehend what humans mean when asking or stating something. ChatGPT also includes Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF), allowing the algorithm to follow directions and generate satisfactory responses, such as learning from context clues. OpenAI also claims, “We’ve trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests,” which are all functional tasks ChatGPT uses to emulate a conversation with another human being. ChatGPT is one of the most interesting tools developed in and for the modern era despite still being in its beta-testing phase. However, what ChatGPT can grow into is undeniable.
What Can ChatGPT Do (right now and in the future)?
Given its incredible ability to carry a conversation with its user, ChatGPT can actually help users converse with other people by helping phrase messages and emails in different ways. In fact, it can even finish your tedious history homework! With a single input, the AI can respond with natural, fluent answers, and even in several different languages. On top of these preposterous feats the chatbot can already perform, it is expected to become even more technologically advanced and sophisticated, aiming to transform into a virtual assistant that can answer even more complicated questions with accurate, time-relevant responses. Eventually, it may take over the world by storm, finding its way into every electronic device on the globe. Though ChatGPT may seem like it can do anything, there are some limitations of the AI conversation chatbot. AI has a lack of human common sense, as it does not have any sense of reason or judgment like a normal human has. Next, AI is notably hard to teach. AI only learns in specifically narrow situations and needs lots of practice to learn. Only with tons of experience can AI expand its capabilities. Lastly, AI does not have true human creativity. It can mimic the creativity of humans but cannot create its own. Now, given the immense power of ChatGPT, a presumably sound question to ask is the following: Will ChatGPT replace Google? The short answer is, probably not. Although ChatGPT has a seemingly unlimited potential, Google is a notable search engine known for being the most utilized browser with over 80% of the search market share. Even the developers of ChatGPT recognized the unlikelihood of the chatbot replacing Google. Still, that doesn’t take away from ChatGPT’s ability to summarize and compile information in a quick and conversational manner, allowing users to build on top of previously asked questions. Research is almost unnecessary when using ChatGPT, and that may be what allows ChatGPT to continue to rise in strength and vigor, possibly becoming the main means of communication and writing.
Changing The Future Of AI And Perception of Humanity
As of now, ChatGPT is nowhere close to becoming an “all-knowing bot.” However, its current abilities are still a large step in the world of AI. AI systems like ChatGPT are undeniably helpful. They save time when asked a question, and also quicken decision-making by providing information regarding both choices of the decision. For example, more than half of the top manufacturers in Europe have implemented some form of AI use in their work; the rise of AI’s capabilities will inevitably raise this statistic globally.
ChatGPT’s most noticeable feature is its broad spectrum of knowledge and ability to carry a “human-like” conversation in various different languages. ChatGPT and other AI systems either can already or have the potential of understanding language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions. Yet, despite the various benefits, the abilities of AI also worry some. In particular, the fear of AI potentially surpassing human intelligence is on the rise, resulting in the possible replacement of human work by AI systems and chatbots. As shown by ChatGPT, these systems can now easily carry an incredible conversation that sounds as if it were human. AI has already mastered communication, a key factor in human life, making many apprehensive about what other human-like traits AI can do in the future. On top of that, we now see that AI can mimic emotions such as sympathy and happiness. Next thing we know, we can turn around and see AI bawling right in front of our eyes with emotions it created by itself. Lastly, AI now has the ability to create its own art (with faux creativity). DALL-E is an AI bot that can create art based on any prompt you give them. The AI art-making bot shows us another step towards mimicking all aspects of humanity— allowing us to see the potential of AI creating human works.
These “simple” tasks that AI can now do, such as speaking different languages, making decisions, and recognizing patterns, are all considered to be human activities. Just like the complexity of coding in different languages, executing these “simple” tasks as an AI becomes complicated at an exponential level. AI tools like ChatGPT demonstrate the astonishing development of AI in the modern time period. In the coming future, we may see a world where AI becomes a truly beneficial tool for humans to perform everyday tasks.