ChatGPT can scare or intimidate some people who feel that these AI programs pose a threat, potentially leading to the creation of biased and inaccurate content.
ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI, states that the software is designed to assist people with various tasks, including answering questions, generating text, and even helping with computer code.
No matter where you stand on the issue of AI, ChatGPT and other large language model software programs are here to stay. I decided to test this program out to see for myself if these programs are a threat to society or a help.
I logged in to ChatGPT and entered a prompt on a subject I have some knowledge of: The Greek philosophy of Stoicism. Here is a link to my query.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d_eGBPhvl6mVFgFU5b5MryXoGA5xMmIbyujxnRrdhTY/edit?usp=sharing
I asked, “In 250 words, explain the four pillars of Stoicism.”
ChatGPT was able to answer my query, returning a response in just a few seconds.
The response I received appeared well-written and accurate. ChatGPT provided four definitions for the pillars of Stoicism that matched well with credible and reliable sources like the Daily Stoic and the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
While my interaction was positive, I have read news stories about users having negative experiences. A Norwegian man has filed a complaint claiming ChatGPT falsely told him he had killed two of his sons and been jailed for 21 years. This is a supposed example of a “hallucination”, where artificial intelligence (AI) systems invent information and present it as fact.
Stories like this support claims that ChatGPT and other large language models are sources of misinformation and a danger to society.
For my interaction, ChatGPT was helpful and provided me with accurate information. I would love to hear about your experiences with AI software; please share your thoughts in the chat below.