For the past week, it topped all trending lists on Twitter: ChatGPT. A language algorithm that can provide answers to a wide range of questions in human language with an astonishing amount of skill. Some copywriters fear for their jobs due to the arrival of ChatGPT, while skeptics mainly see the limitations of the software. This article answers the most important questions about ChatGPT, its rivals and how it will affect the workplace of tomorrow.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) trained to communicate through text in a human-like manner. It is designed to respond to questions so that you feel like you are talking to a real person. ChatGPT uses advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques to learn from the way people communicate. Thus, it is able to adapt its answers to the context of the conversation. This makes ChatGPT a powerful tool for everything from marketing copy writing to even a potential rival to Google’s search engine.
How can I use ChatGPT?
Very simple, you go to chat.openai.com and create an account. Then you can immediately start typing in prompts and questions.
Is ChatGPT free?
The current version of ChatGPT (December 12th, 2022) is still in the research phase and is therefore free to use for everyone. The developer, OpenAI, has announced that there will be a paid model in the future, as the software is very computationally demanding and therefore very costly.
For example, what kind of questions can I ask ChatGPT?
You can ask ChatGPT almost any question you might ask another person who is familiar with the topic you want to talk about. For example, if you have a question about a certain product or service, you can ask ChatGPT what it is, how it works, what the benefits are, etc. If you are interested in a certain subject, such as sports or art, you can ask ChatGPT ask for more information on this topic. You can also ask questions specific to ChatGPT, such as how it works, how it is trained, etc. Some sample questions you could ask:
- How do you know which information is correct and reliable and which is not?
- What is your background and education and how did you acquire the knowledge and skills you use to respond to my questions?
- To what extent are you able to think subjectively and deal with emotions and personal preferences?
- What are your limitations and how do you make sure you notify users about them?
- How do you ensure that you respect and protect users and keep their privacy and personal data safe?
ChatGPT has the added benefit of even being able to generate computer code. For example, ask the technical question: “How could I look up the source code of a website in the Python programming language?” You will receive the following answer:
What are the limitations of ChatGPT?
As with any technology, there are limitations to what ChatGPT can do. First, it is important to remember that ChatGPT can only generate text and does not (yet) process images, audio or video. Moreover, it depends on the quality of the input it receives, so if the question or comment from you as a user is unclear or incomplete, it can be difficult to generate an appropriate answer. Finally, ChatGPT is also limited by the knowledge and information it has been trained on, so it cannot respond to current events. It is also designed in such a way that it will not speculate, will not give opinions, but also will not, for example, give advice on how best to prepare for illegal practices such as burglary.
What does “GPT” actually stand for?
GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer. A “transformer” is a specific type of machine learning model used for language processing and generation. This model is “generative” because it can generate new texts similar to those it has seen during the training process. It is also “pre-trained” because it is trained on a large amount of texts before being used for a specific purpose, speeding up learning and improving results. All this together makes the “Generative Pretrained Transformer” model a powerful tool for language processing and generation, as used in ChatGPT.
Why are people so excited about ChatGPT?
Sophisticated language models that can communicate to human standards are not new, but ChatGPT has a number of advantages over the “competition”. For example, it is very easy to use, where previous models such as GPT-3 required some technical knowledge. There is a lot of human control behind the system, which means that certain things such as disinformation or unintentional racism have often been removed. Finally, many ‘human characteristics’ can be recognized in the system. For example, if you ask the same question again, it will respond with “as I said before”, giving the impression that we are communicating with a human, rather than a computer.
How will ChatGPT change my work?
It is difficult to predict exactly how technology like ChatGPT will change your work, because it depends on how people will use ChatGPT and how it will be integrated into existing systems such as Google Docs, Word or WordPress.
Still in general sense of the word, ChatGPT can help people answer questions and provide information, which can lead to a more efficient work process and more time to focus on more important tasks. But, as ChatGPT itself points out: “On the other hand, it also leads to employment problems if it is used to take over certain tasks that are now performed by humans.”
The arrival of algorithms that can write like humans is unstoppable. That’s why it’s important, if you write texts – from emails to blogs and proposals to marketing copy, to delve into the possibilities today. If you don’t, your colleagues will and will be able to do their work much more efficiently.
Who is behind ChatGPT?
ChatGPT was developed by the American organization OpenAI. The company, together with the British DeepMind (which was bought by Google), is seen as the forerunners in developing advanced AI technology. OpenAI sees itself as a research institute and software company dedicated to developing artificial intelligence.
The company was founded in 2015 by Elon Musk and other well-known tech entrepreneurs and investors. OpenAI is based in San Francisco and is working on several artificial intelligence projects, including language models such as ChatGPT, but also Dalle2 which is capable of generating images. The goal of OpenAI is to develop artificial intelligence that can help and support people in their daily tasks and decisions.
How do I know if something is written with ChatGPT or another algorithm?
Because ChatGPT and other language models can mimic our language painstakingly well, it is often difficult to recognize whether copy is written by a human or by an algorithm. Sometimes that’s not a problem, but in other cases you might want to know (like the homework of students in middle school, for example). There are two methods to find out:
- Run the text through a detection algorithm, such as this one from HuggingFace.
- Ask the person in question for the source of information or quotes, ChatGPT does not indicate where the algorithm got the information from.
What about algorithms that can generate images or even videos?
There are several algorithms that can generate images or even videos in addition to text. The best known of these are Dalle2 (also from OpenAI), Stable Diffusion (from Stability.ai) and Midjourney. Systems such as Lensa (app from Prisma Labs) or ThisPersonDoesNotExist are also good examples of systems that generate images with AI under the hood.
What other tools are there to generate texts?
There are several tools you can use to generate marketing texts or even entire blogs. A number of well-known ones are Jasper.ai, Copy.ai or Copymatic, with which you can generate texts for a fixed monthly fee (starting from 15 euros) that you can use on your website, on social media or in your media campaigns.
What if I want to know more about this?
As a technology expert, Remy Gieling closely follows the developments around artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and the impact on jobs and organizations. As the founder of ai.nl, he is a regular expert for Dutch radio and television to talk about these topics, he give lectures at events and webinars and organize innovation trips to Silicon Valley to learn from tech companies about disruptive technology.
Do you want to know more about what AI is and can do and/or how it will affect your company or the work of yourself and your colleagues? Please send us an email at info@ai.nl.
