OpenAI has developed a revolutionary artificial intelligence (AI) assistant ‘Chat GPT’ that has gained over a million users since its release on 30 November 2022. The AI assistant generates human-like responses to questions and has the option to receive follow-up questions. According to BBC Science Focus: “It is one of the largest and most powerful language processing AI models to date, with 175 billion parameters.”
While it is a useful tool for content writers, journalists, students, and teachers, there are concerns about how it will affect these fields.
Does Chat GPT threaten some livelihoods?
There is a high possibility that this service could lead to automation in various fields. It is capable of writing code, solving maths problems, and writing essays. It can be used in a chat format where you can ask the AI assistant questions and receive answers.
In education, it can provide quick answers to factual questions, freeing up time for more in-depth research and learning. It can also assist with research by finding and summarising relevant information from a variety of sources, and provide a platform for generating ideas and brainstorming through open-ended conversations and asking probing questions. It can also help automate repetitive tasks such as data entry or grading, allowing educators to focus on more value-added activities.
Although it is very impressive, it is not entirely accurate. In answer to my question, the AI assistant said:
“As an AI, I am designed to provide accurate and reliable information to the best of my ability. I have been trained on a large and diverse dataset of text that includes a wide range of general knowledge and information about the world. This training allows me to understand and generate human-like text, as well as to provide accurate responses to a wide range of questions.
“However, it is important to note that I am not infallible, and there may be times when my responses are not completely accurate or may not be appropriate for a given context.”
Potential impact on education
Could this service be a new revolution in the education system? Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War, declared in The Atlantic that “The college essay is dead”. With the ability to provide customer support, sales and marketing, healthcare, recruitment, travel, entertainment, legal advice, and business intelligence, it is not only the field of education that is facing change.
When asked about the possibility of students using the software to cheat on assignments, the AI assistant said:
“It is possible that the use of an AI service like mine could potentially be used for cheating on assignments, just as students could use any other resource (e.g., the internet, a textbook, a tutor) for the same purpose. However, it is important to note that the use of AI in education is just one tool among many, and it is not the sole determinant of academic integrity. Ultimately, the responsibility for maintaining academic integrity rests with the students, the educators, and the institutions involved.”
In an experiment conducted by MBA students at Wharton under Professor Ethan Mollick, the essays produced by the software passed an important screening by Turnitin, a popular anti-plagiarism software.
One thing is for sure, a new revolution has arrived and is here to stay.
