ChatGPT is well-known in the world of AI technology. Learn more about ChatGPT and how best to use it safely and responsibly.
If you've spent time online lately, you have likely picked up on the buzz surrounding ChatGPT. But what exactly is this latest generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool?
Discover more about ChatGPT and the technology that powers it. Learn about its features and limitations and tips on how you should (and potentially should not) use it.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot from OpenAI that enables users to "converse" with it in a way that mimics natural conversation. As a user, you can ask questions or make requests through prompts, and ChatGPT will respond. The intuitive, easy-to-use, and free tool has already gained popularity as an alternative to traditional search engines and a tool for AI writing, among other things.
The "GPT" in ChatGPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer. In AI, training refers to the process of teaching a computer system to recognise patterns and make decisions based on input data, much like how a teacher gives information to their students and then tests their understanding of that information.
A transformer is a type of neural network trained to analyse the context of input data and weigh the significance of each part of the data accordingly. Since this model learns context, it's commonly used in natural language processing (NLP) to generate text similar to human writing. (In AI, a model is a set of mathematical equations and algorithms a computer uses to analyse data and make decisions.
While older AI chatbots can answer questions with detailed responses, ChatGPT uses a dialog format, which allows it to answer follow-up and clarifying questions and recognise and reject inappropriate or dangerous requests (such as questions about illegal activity).
With a thorough understanding of the features, limitations, and risks associated with generative AI, it becomes a powerful tool for saving time and energy. Knowing how to communicate effectively with ChatGPT or any generative AI model is called prompt engineering.
New use cases are emerging every day; below are just a few ways you might incorporate ChatGPT (or another generative AI model) into your day-to-day work:
While ChatGPT lacks some critical functionality of Google and other search engines (particularly in making attribution easy to see and access), it can be a useful starting point for conducting research.
If you've ever experienced difficulty getting started on a writing project while staring at a blank page, you're not alone. Depending on the source of your writer's block and what you're trying to achieve, you may be able to use ChatGPT to overcome inertia:
Get your creativity flowing with generated writing prompts.
Build an outline or structure from the key points you want to include.
Generate a first paragraph to build upon (You can go back and revise or delete it later).
Find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.
You can input an existing piece of text into ChatGPT and ask it to identify uses of passive voice, repetitive phrases or word usage, or grammatical errors. This could be particularly useful if you're writing in a language you're not a native speaker.
ChatGPT isn't just for use with text as prose. You can also use it to:
Explain the functionality of unfamiliar input code
Generate boilerplate code to build off of
Identify bugs within existing code
Add comments to existing code for improved readability and collaboration
Identify edge cases where your code might fail
ChatGPT's use of a transformer model (the "T" in ChatGPT) makes it a good tool for keyword research. It can generate related terms based on context and associations (compared to the more linear approach of more traditional keyword research tools). You can also input a list of keywords and classify them based on search intent.
ChatGPT can quickly summarise the key points of long articles or sum up complex ideas in an easier way. This could be a time saver if you're trying to get up to speed in a new industry or need help with a tricky concept while studying.
ChatGPT uses natural language processing (NLP), an AI technology that deals with understanding, analysing, and generating human-like language. OpenAI developers trained the large language model (LLM) using a combination of two major inputs:
1. A massive volume of sample text pulled from web pages and program code before the end of 2021.
2. Conversations provided by real humans, who demonstrated the desired responses to provided prompts, then ranked outputs from the model based on the quality of the response.
Providing occasional feedback from humans to an AI model is a technique known as reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). Leveraging this technique can help fine-tune a model by improving safety and reliability.
ChatGPT represents an exciting advancement in generative AI, with several features that could help accelerate certain tasks when used thoughtfully. It also comes with limitations. Understanding the features and limitations is key to leveraging this technology for the greatest impact.
Some of the features of ChatGPT include the ability to:
Generate human-like text that mimics the style and structure of the input data.
Generate a response to a given prompt or input text. This could include writing a story or answering a question.
Generate text in multiple languages.
Modify the style of generated text (formal or informal, for example).
Ask clarifying questions to understand the intent of input data better.
Respond with text consistent with the conversation's context, such as offering follow-up instructions or understanding references made to previous questions.
Other generative AI models can perform similar tasks with images, sounds, and video.
While ChatGPT is a powerful tool, it has its limitations. To start, these types of transformer models lack common sense reasoning ability. This can translate to a limited ability to handle complexity, nuance, and questions around emotions, values, beliefs, and abstract concepts. These limitations can manifest in many ways:
It does not understand the meaning of the text it generates. While some output from ChatGPT may sound humanlike, the model isn't human. This has a few implications. It may be limited to handle nuance, ambiguity, sarcasm, or irony. Perhaps more problematic is the fact that it can generate text that sounds plausible but is incorrect or even nonsensical. What's more, it can't verify the veracity of its output.
It can occasionally generate biased, discriminatory, or offensive text based on the given context. A language model like ChatGPT is only as good as its input data. This model was trained on large amounts of text data from across the Internet, including biased input. Consequently, bias can sometimes appear in the generated text.
Responses may have roots in outdated information. The model has limited knowledge of events after 2021 and is not connected to the wider internet. If you're using ChatGPT to produce code, it could be pulling from outdated examples that no longer meet modern cybersecurity standards.
Output can be formulaic. ChatGPT can generate text similar to existing text and is known to overuse certain phrases. This can mean text that reads flat and unimaginative or, in more extreme cases, could constitute plagiarism or a copyright infringement.
The tool isn't always available. Its exploding popularity has led to some capacity issues. When the servers overload, you may get a message that reads, "ChatGPT is at capacity."
Take advantage of generative AI tools thoughtfully and responsibly by following these five guidelines:
1. Always review and edit generated text for accuracy and quality.
2. Treat generative AI as a starting point rather than a finished product.
3. Use it for repetitive or time-consuming tasks that don't require creativity or originality.
4. Don't use any sensitive or private information as input data.
5. Leverage it with other tools and techniques, including your creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking skills.
When it first came to market in early 2023, ChatGPT caused a storm. It demonstrates impressive and useful massive advancements in AI technology. However, it’s important to remember that ChatGPT is still a very new technology and, therefore, has limitations.
Keep exploring generative AI tools and ChatGPT with the Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT course offered by Vanderbilt University on Coursera. Learn more about how these tools work while incorporating them into your daily life to boost productivity.
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