Last Updated on January 26, 2023 by Jerod
Just over a year ago our own Adam Henige wrote an article discussing how AI writing tools are going to take your job. At the time that was published I looked at it and kind of said, yeah…maybe…but maybe not really. Then along came the release of GPT-3 and ChatGPT.
If you’ve never heard of ChatGPT…and if you haven’t you must have been living under a rock for the last six weeks ’cause it’s been all the rage.
ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like text. In layman’s terms, somebody fed the internet to a chat robot and told it, “Learn.” It did. The model was trained on a massive dataset of human-generated text, and now it can understand and generate a wide range of language patterns and styles.
A Little History
The development of ChatGPT began in 2018, when OpenAI released the first version of the model, known as GPT-1. GPT-1 was able to generate coherent and fluent text on a wide range of topics, but its capabilities were limited by the size of the dataset it was trained on. In 2019, OpenAI released GPT-2, which was trained on an even larger dataset, allowing it to generate even more human-like text and improve its understanding of language.
The current model is GPT-3 and was trained on 175 billion parameters (pieces of natural human language?) and is scary good at responding to just about any prompt you give it.
Something to note, GPT-# is the version of the software that’s doing the learning and producing the output. ChatGPT is the service that uses GPT-# so that humans can interact with it. When a new version of GPT comes out (more on that at the end), you will still interact with the ChatGPT interface but the results you get will be better because the engine driving it is better.
Think of it this way. You drive an old 2001 Toyota Camry and the original engine craps out. Instead of buying a new car, you decide to put a race car engine in your good old reliable Camry. Now, you’ve got the same car but it’s way faster because it’s using a race car engine. Same thing. ChatGPT is the car. GPT-# is the engine.
My Short Experiment
I popped over to the ChatGPT interface to see what kind of trouble I could get into. This is the prompt I first gave it. I will cut-n-paste the text exactly how it happened.
Jerod: “Write a 500-word article discussing whether or not AI writing tools such as ChatGPT will eventually take over online authorship entirely.”
ChatGPT: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools such as ChatGPT have made significant advancements in recent years and have the potential to revolutionize the way we produce written content. However, the question remains whether or not these tools will eventually take over online authorship entirely.
On the one hand, AI writing tools have many benefits. They can produce high-quality content quickly and efficiently, which is especially useful for businesses and media outlets that need to produce a large amount of written content on a regular basis. Additionally, AI writing tools have the ability to understand and respond to natural language, making them more accessible to a wider range of users.
Furthermore, AI writing tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to understand context and produce more nuanced, human-like writing. This has led to the development of AI writing tools that can write everything from news articles and blog posts to novels and poetry.
On the other hand, there are also some limitations to AI writing tools. For one, these tools are not yet able to replicate the creativity and originality of human writing. They can produce high-quality content, but it is still generated based on pre-programmed patterns and data. Additionally, there is always a risk that AI-generated content will lack the human touch and personal perspective that many readers value.
Moreover, AI writing tools are not capable to understand and write about the emotions, feelings and nuances of human experience. They are still far from being able to replicate the authenticity and depth that human authors can bring to their writing.
Another limitation is that AI writing tools still require a significant amount of human oversight and editing. While they can produce high-quality content, they may still require human intervention to correct errors or improve the overall quality of the writing.
In conclusion, AI writing tools such as ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionize the way we produce written content. They can produce high-quality content quickly and efficiently, and they are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to understand context and produce more nuanced writing. However, they are not yet able to replicate the creativity and originality of human writing, and they still require a significant amount of human oversight and editing. It is likely that AI writing tools will become increasingly important in the production of written content, but it is unlikely that they will take over online authorship entirely. Human authors will always have a unique value and advantage.”
Jerod: “Rewrite that same article but with a snarky, sarcastic, joking tone.”
ChatGPT: “Oh boy, where do I begin? AI writing tools such as ChatGPT, the almighty writing overlords, are here to take over the world of online authorship, right? Ha! Not quite.
Sure, these tools can pump out high-quality content faster than a college student on Adderall during finals week. And sure, they can understand natural language better than your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving dinner. But, can they truly replace the brilliance and originality of human writing? Please, I can barely keep a straight face typing this.
AI writing tools are like the robots in that Will Smith movie “I, Robot”. They can mimic human behavior, but they will never truly understand the complexities and nuances of the human experience. They can write about emotions, but they will never truly feel them. And let’s not forget, the best writing comes from personal experiences and perspectives, something that AI tools lack.
And let’s not forget, AI writing tools still require a good amount of human oversight, editing, and intervention. So, it’s not like they’re going to take over the world and make all human writers obsolete any time soon.
In conclusion, AI writing tools such as ChatGPT are like that one kid in class who always copied your homework. They can mimic your work, but they will never truly understand it. They will never be able to replicate the creativity and originality of human writing, so don’t worry, you can still sleep well at night knowing that you won’t be replaced by a robot just yet.”
Color Me Skeptical.
The last line the AI wrote for me was “…you won’t be replaced by a robot just yet.” That’s exactly what our digital overloads want us to think! Just based on my very cursory experience it seems that this technology can write more coherently than most of the people with whom I went to school. …and it’s only going to get better.
The Future
OpenAI, the company that has produced these tools, is currently working on GPT-4 which will be the next faster race car engine that they’re going to dump into their ’01 Camry. Rumors indicate that the newest engine will be available within the next month or so. will be trained using trillions of parameters, be able to handle audio and photos, and generally kick the crap out of anything that’s come before it. This article has a great speculative review. https://thealgorithmicbridge.substack.com/p/gpt-4-rumors-from-silicon-valley
Closing Thoughts
This technology is frightening. I knew we would get here at some point it’s just weird to me that it’s here. Regardless of how good these models get, I’ve noticed one important thing. They don’t swear. In fact, they won’t swear even if you ask them to. Until AI can and is willing to put together a coherent string of curse words I’m going to say that human authorship is safe…kind of…
Shit.
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