What is ChatGPT? Its creator, OpenAI, explained, “We’ve trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests. ChatGPT is a sibling model to InstructGPT, which is trained to follow an instruction in a prompt and provide a detailed response.”
OpenAI is a startup in San Francisco, California. The company was co-founded in 2015 by Elon Musk and Sam Altman. The company is backed by well known investors, most notably Microsoft. ChatGPT is one of many examples of generative AI. Another example includes Dall-E, a text-to-image program created by OpenAI which also captivated the attention of people. According to Business Insider, ChatGPT drew in more than 1 million users after the bot was launched.
In the wake of the chatbot craze, conversations surrounding potential abuses of the AI have risen. CNBC reports that in classrooms, students have used ChatGPT to write their essays. However, the bot can’t create citations. Kevin Roose, a Times Tech columnist said that this fact, “sent many educators into a panic.” Some school districts have already banned the use of the new technology whereas others are trying to teach students how to use it responsibly, according to the NYTimes.
CNBC reported that ChatGPT can generate human-like responses, but SUNY Old Westbury English professor Elizabeth Schmermund said the AI generated texts are almost too perfect. The NYTimes said that some teenaged students are worried that ChatGPT will rob them of their motivation, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Dr. Schmermund said it can be used as a tool for writing, “as long as it does not take the place of the critical analysis of writing.”
But what does ChatGPT mean for writers? According to Business Insider, writers across industries have expressed concerns that the AI will take their jobs one day. Business Insider reports that back in December, Buzzfeed laid off 12% of its workforce, announcing that it’ll use ChatGPT to generate quizzes and other types of content. The tech news site, CNET, said it was using a tool similar to ChatGPT to produce its articles.
According to Business Insider, experts say the chances of ChatGPT replacing jobs in writing industries is low. Dr. Schmermund said, “I think it will probably replace some levels of writing.” However, what ChatGPT can’t do is replicate human creativity or empathy. Dr. Schmermund said she wouldn’t want to read a novel written by AI.
Sheeta Verma, a marketing consultant for startups based in California said, “You will see that it’s lacking that sort of human touch.” She said, “We have beliefs about equality and justice, aspects of what is in our belief system that come out in our products and services as companies in the way we write, that the computer doesn’t have.”
Dr. Schmermund said that AI can produce basic content quickly, such as cover letters or even school syllabi. Alan Jacobson, chief data and analytics officer at software firm Alteryx, said AI still lacks creativity, emotional intelligence, and human understanding. Therefore, it doesn’t have the capacity to create high-quality content that resonates with people. Jacobsen said, “For now, the role of ChatGPT and other AI models in content creation is to augment and assist human content creators, rather than to replace them.”
