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First due to the “Three Laws of Robotics”, still in the distant year of 1942 and later immortalized by the HAL 9000 computer, in the science fiction classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey, produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1968, robots and computers capable of learning, thinking and deciding are not exactly new concepts.
However, since ideas were only restricted to works of fiction, it was only in recent years that we actually began to see such concepts applied in our daily lives and the most recent example – ChatGPT – has stood out, both because of the astonishment caused by what has already proven to be capable, as well as due to the possible consequences of his performance, as well as due to several controversies arising from this same action.
Therefore, today’s conversation aims to clarify what it is, how it works and the possibilities for the future of this tool.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a specialization of GPT-3 (Generative Pre-Training Transformer 3), created by San Francisco-based artificial intelligence research startup, OpenAI.
It is much more than a simple combination of a customer service chat and an internet robot (a chatbot), as it is based on the most sensitive advances seen so far when it comes to artificial intelligence.
According to Sam Altman – founder of OpenAI – the deep learning training process on which the platform is based, was supervised (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) or Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback) and had as sources for this deep learning , content from across the web, including Wikipedia, content sites, books, blogs, and even social networks like Twitter.
The difference to GPT-3 is the chat-based communication interface, which is the means by which communication between the searcher and ChatGPT takes place.
The result is impressive.
Launched on November 30, 2022, in just one week, more than a million users had already experienced what it is capable of.
From simple definitions to some simpler questions or solving mathematical problems, going through more complex discussions, evolving into extensive essays and texts and even creating snippets of programs from some programming languages such as Python, some of the answers give the impression of having a human being. on the other hand, given the fluidity and naturalness of the language used in the responses.
The controversies surrounding ChatGPT
Still in the testing phase and despite the caveats and warnings that exist on the OpenAI website in this regard, at the same time that the technology has divided users between amazement and admiration of what this application based on deep machine learning and artificial intelligence, has also raised some controversies and questions.
The first is related to the jobs that technology will steal, as is common to happen every time something similar is developed.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
In American universities, professors already have evidence that students have used ChatGPT to produce their academic work.
Another point is the guarantee of the accuracy of the answers, remembering that the training and learning process is based on Web content and that these can be inaccurate, misinform and even be fake news.
In addition to this question, another aspect that has already been observed in experiments of the type, such as Tay, Microsoft’s experimental AI robot, which at a certain point in the tests, began to produce responses with racist and sexist content. That is, depending on the content used in learning, the answers can be biased and prejudiced.
The company points out that it is working on implementing filters for this type of question, as well as for a series of other sensitive topics and potentially insecure content.
That is, the next point in the evolution of this and other tools of the kind involves important ethical and existential questions, but which were already present in the concerns of Isaac Asimov or in the work of Arthur C. Clarke, which gave rise to the film 2001: Uma Space Odyssey.
But among all the caveats to how positive and the gains that users and even companies can have with this type of technology, there is another question that targets one of the giants of the Internet and even its continuity in the way we are used to…
Is ChatGPT a threat to Google and the future of the Internet?
Specialists have questioned Google’s business model and, to a certain extent, the future of the Internet itself in current terms, confirming the consolidation of ChatGPT and possible similar ones.
That’s because for many of the searches we do, an enhancement to ChatGPT could literally make searches of the world’s most popular search engine completely unnecessary.
Yes, because instead of clicking on the various links on the results pages – the SERPs – and looking for and evaluating the contents accessed, with this tool we will have a more direct answer. Saving time and work and certainly for most users in many cases, it would be much more practical.
It must be remembered that although Google already has different sources of income, a good part of it still relies on the search engine.
But it wouldn’t just be Google that would lose out if that happened.
For years, many sites have learned and created mechanisms to guarantee an audience and, therefore, their reason for being, based on SEO and SEM. How to bring visitors without Google, Microsoft Bing or any other search engines if they are no longer needed?
More than that, why would a blog or any type of content site be accessed, if the information that potential interested parties becomes available more directly and quickly?
Without visitation, strategies to produce engagement, conversion, monetization and whatever else you can think of become ineffective.
As a result, there are even those who think that this is the main reason why Google has not yet launched its own tool, Switch Transformers, which has a much superior arsenal of data as training parameters.
After all, following the same reasoning, for many users it would become useless to visit most sites and they would lose their function. Without a website, where would information be collected and learned from?
It would be like ending your very essence!
Conclusion
ChatGPT is the new technological advance that could both revolutionize the consumption of content on the Web and determine its extinction.
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