Monday, February 20, 2023

ChatGPT seems to be a sensation, so what is it, and what does it do?

 



Funny thing is that this question is the kind of thing that ChatGPT was created to accomplish. It answers questions, and can simulate human conversation.

What sparked my interest in it was a YouTube video ( link here).

The video's author says that this is a big deal, and it may be time to get up to speed on it. It will change things, he says.

Frankly, I worry very much about Artificial Intelligence. Generally speaking, I tended to avoid the topic. But you cannot ignore what's coming, if that is truly the case. Unfortunately, I think something like this is more likely to do more harm than good. But people seem to be drawn to it like a moth to a flame, and I suspect the end result of this is likely to be similar.

If you are not familiar, then the links provided here will give you some background on what this is. It is embarrassing to admit my ignorance on the subject, but the topic kept popping up, and it is time to address it. That's true whether I like it or not.

As someone who has been familiar with computers, and has worked with them for many years, even before computers were mainstream, I think a great deal of restraint should be applied to things like AI. Unfortunately, there are people who are pushing this, and it will likely assume far greater importance than I would be comfortable with. So I have something of a bias against it.

Here are some links for further information:

A 2 hour chat with Sydney, the chatbot with Bing ( very strange)

Fun with ChatCPT (comment: The bot is politically biased)

My own conversation with a chatbot as an experiment:

Q: Where did ChatGPT come from?

ChatGPT is a natural language processing (NLP) system developed by Microsoft Research Asia. It was first presented at the 2019 EMNLP conference in Hong Kong and is based on the OpenAI GPT-2 model.

Q: What good is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT can be used to generate natural-sounding dialogue. It is useful for developing virtual assistants, chatbots, and other applications that require a dialogue system.

Q: What purpose does a chatbot serve?

Chatbots are computer programs that simulate conversations with people. They can be used to provide customer service, answer common questions, provide information, and much more.

Q: How much does a plane fare cost that travels from Austin Texas to Honolulu Hawaii?

A roundtrip plane ticket from Austin to Honolulu typically costs between $400 and $900 depending on the airline, the time of year, and other factors.

Q: How much does it cost to ride a bus from Austin Texas to Los Angeles California?

A one-way bus ticket from Austin to Los Angeles typically costs between $150 and $250 depending on the bus line and the time of year.

Q: What is a passenger fare for a ship from Los Angeles to Hawaii?

The cost of a one-way passenger ticket on a cruise ship from Los Angeles to Hawaii typically ranges from $799 to $1,999, depending on the cruise line, the type of cabin, and the time of year.

Q: What cruise ship lines operate out of Los Angeles?

The cruise lines that operate out of Los Angeles include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Q: What cruise lines operate out of Galveston, Texas?

The cruise lines that operate out of Galveston, Texas include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Q: What would it cost to go from Galveston Texas to Los Angeles on Carnival Cruise Line?

A one-way ticket from Galveston, Texas to Los Angeles on Carnival Cruise Line typically costs between $499 and $999, depending on the type of cabin and the time of year.

Q: What are the hotel rates for Honolulu Hawaii?

Hotel rates in Honolulu typically range from $100 to $400 per night depending on the hotel, season, and other factors.

Q: What is the cost of a roundtrip air fare from Austin Texas to El Paso Texas?

A roundtrip airfare from Austin to El Paso typically costs between $150 and $250 depending on the airline, the time of year, and other factors.

Conclusion: It might be useful in some limited context, such as the one shown above. For deeper questions, it may not be very useful at all. However, it doesn't mean that it won't be misused. My guess is that is what is the most likely thing to happen.



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