What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a natural language processing AI tool that Microsoft Corp. has added to its technology, including search engine giant Bing
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ChatGPT is a sophisticated artificial intelligence chatbot developed by AI research company OpenAI. The AI technology was added to Microsoft products including Bing, the corporation’s search engine.
ChatGPT is a generative AI that is capable of producing content from text to images, having conversations with humans, suggesting edits to computer programming code and more. The chatbot has the ability to answer questions or assist humans in queries or tasks through its vast training using social media, websites, articles, datasets, books and other forms of text on the internet.
ChatGPT is set to be one of the most disruptive forces in Big Tech, specific industries like education and business, and for the future of the human workforce in coming years.
A 2023 report revealed that ChatGPT could threaten nearly 5 million jobs. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
How does ChatGPT work?
The second half of the name, GPT, stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer. Transformers are specialized algorithms for finding long-range patterns in sequences of data. A transformer learns to predict not just the next word in a sentence but also the next sentence in a paragraph and the next paragraph in an essay. This is what allows it to stay on topic for long stretches of text.
The chatbot learns to mimic grammar, punctuation, writing structure and other essential components of human intelligence and output conversation, answers, information, etc. back to a user.
What is ChatGPT used for?
ChatGPT is not intended to be a tried and trusted source as it currently poses many potential risks like spewing misinformation and infringing on intellectual property. Additionally, it has serious limitations. Currently, most industries are using the chatbot to test the accuracy of information they're already experts on vs the answers provided by ChatGPT.
There are, however, several professional industries already leveraging AI to assist in completing tasks more quickly and efficiently, though ChatGPT and other chabots are being used with skepticism.
In the medical field, doctors are testing the precision of diagnostics provided by ChatGPT and patients are employing the chatbot to acquire information about diseases, medications and other health-related topics.
"The suggestions generated by AI were found to offer unique perspectives and were evaluated as highly understandable and relevant, with moderate usefulness, low acceptance, bias, inversion and redundancy," the researchers from a preliminary study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center wrote in the study findings. Dai noted that doctors can enter medical records from a variety of sources and formats — including images, videos, audio recordings, emails and PDFs — into large language models like ChatGPT to get second opinions.
ChatGPT, though advancing quickly, continues to pose bias issues and is not always accurate in its responses. (iStock)
Experts in the legal field are using ChatGPT to experiment with will and testament development, decide on court rulings and answer law-related questions.
Reporters and writers are leveraging the chatbot to assist with writer’s block and content creation. Media companies including BuzzFeed and the publisher of Sports Illustrated have announced plans to generate content such as quizzes and articles with ChatGPT.
Students are using the fresh wave of so-called generative AI to write their essays and complete homework assignments. Some schools have blocked access to the service on their networks to prevent cheating, while others are actively encouraging students to use the tools ethically.
What are the dangers of ChatGPT?
While there are numerous advantages to using ChatGPT for business, education and more, it’s pertinent to recognize the tech isn’t always accurate. Sources used to train ChatGPT aren’t fact-checked, generative AI is susceptible to bias and it relies on human feedback to improve accuracy.
"They absolutely do have bias," expert Flavio Villanustre told Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, it is very hard to deal with this from a coding standpoint. It is very hard to prevent bias from happening."
The technology is also prone to "hallucinations." Hallucinations, with respect to ChatGPT, occur when the AI provides a response that seems factual, formally correct, and includes proper language, but is completely bluffed.
Beyond the level of inaccuracy, there is the concern that generative AI like ChatGPT could become too human-like. There are four levels of development for AI; Reactive Machines, Limited Memory, Theory of Mind and Self-Awareness.
ChatGPT has passed a theory of mind test commensurate with 9-year-old ability, as of February 2023.
"The one thing I tell people is computers don't get tired. Computers don't have to turn off," said Dr. Chris Mattmann, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Chief Technology and Innovation Officer to Fox News Digital.
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"Does that mean all those people all of a sudden should be dependent on the government and lose their jobs? No," Mattmann said. "We sometimes know this five, ten years in advance. We should be considering what types of subject matter expertise, what types of different activities, what are the prompts that those workers should be putting their subject matter data and all their knowledge into, because that's where we're going to be behind and we're going to need to help those automation activities."
The angst people feel in regard to AI advancements are well-founded since an April 2023 report acknowledged that ChatGPT alone could put nearly 5 million US jobs at risk.
How to use ChatGPT?
Though large language model – L.L.M. – ChatGPT may initially frighten some with its capabilities or intimidate first time users, it is fairly simple to understand.
OpenAI, San Francisco-based tech company, launched ChatGPT in November 2022. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
You’ll need to sign up for an OpenAI account to begin using ChatGPT. Next, you’ll need to agree to the terms of use. Then, you’ll ask the AI model questions and receive answers in return. It’s as simple as that.
Some of the latest features of ChatGPT include the following:
- You can turn off chat history and go incognito with ChatGPT as of April 2023
- You can add ChatGPT to your browser as of March 2023
- ChatGPT Plus is a subscription service available to users as of February 2023
When was ChatGPT released?
ChatGPT was developed by OpenAI as part of a strategy to build AI software. On November 30, 2022, ChatGPT was officially launched by OpenAI.
Microsoft, OpenAI’s strategic partner, unveiled a $10 billion investment into OpenAI in January 2023. In February 2023, ChatGPT was available for users on Bing’s search engine.
Elon Musk, though said to be developing his own chatbot "TruthGPT," previously invested $100 million into OpenAI in 2015, according to Business Today. Musk’s massive investment likely played a role in the evolution of ChatGPT.
Who created ChatGPT?
OpenAI, a San Francisco based AI research lab, created ChatGPT and Microsoft Corp added it to their products including Bing. Search engine giant competitors Google and Baidu are pushing to launch similar tools. Google’s chatbot Bard was released in a limited capacity in March 2023. Baidu launched Ernie bot also in March 2023.
Alibaba, Chinese multinational tech company, released its own chatbot Tongyi Qianwen in April 2023.
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How much does ChatGPT cost?
The short answer is that ChatGPT is free. However, there is a paid version of the chatbot, ChatGPT Plus.
ChatGPT Plus was released in February 2023 and costs $20 per month and includes access to the chatbot during periods of high demand and peak usage times. If you have gone to use the chatbot and been frustrated or restricted by the error message "ChatGPT is at capacity right now," ChatGPT Plus might be a subscription to consider. The message appears when ChatGPT is receiving an influx in queries and communications through the chatbot.
You can easily update from the free version of ChatGPT to ChatGPT Plus by clicking on the "Upgrade to Plus" button and completing your purchase.
ChatGPT subscribers also receive early access to new features and improvements and faster response times from the conversational application.
Currently, ChatGPT Plus is only available in the US but OpenAI has expressed availability to users in other countries in the future.
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What are the limitations of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT and other chatbots are extremely advanced technologies and have somewhat overwhelming capabilities. While this is the case, ChatGPT has limitations.
OpenAI has acknowledged chatbot limitations, specifically for GPT-4, and that it has "social biases, hallucinations, and adversarial prompts."
GPT-4 is capable of providing recipes after receiving photos of food items and ingredients. It can generate, edit and iterate tasks with and for users with datasets including both images and text. It can give analysis, create content, converse and more. However, ChatGPT can still dispatch false and biased information. It also makes mistakes with mathematical, grammatical and factual information which OpenAI calls "hallucinations."
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The chatbot also lacks common sense and emotions. ChatGPT is limited in a number of ways and while responses seem plausible, they are sometimes inaccurate. Your secrets are also not safe using ChatGPT or any other chatbot including Google Bard.
ChatGPT and Bard record your search history by default. You can ask ChatGPT not to keep your searches, but know they will still be saved for a month and then deleted.
Fox News Digital's Melissa Rudy contributed to this article.
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