ChatGPT or Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer is a web-based
chatbot and a
generative artificial intelligence application developed and launched by the American
artificial intelligence research laboratory OpenAI in November 2022.
It is based on the GPT model that was built on
artificial intelligence systems such as
machine learning and
deep learning, and
natural language processing and
large language models to produce human-like text and human-like conversation with its users.
The chatbot has gained popularity across varied groups of individuals since it was launched. The reception includes a mixture of praises for its advantages and potential applications, as well as criticisms due to its limitations and possible drawbacks.
Examining Chatbots: A Look Into the Advantages and Disadvantages of ChatGPT
Pros of ChatGPT: Notable Advantages and Applications
1. Imitates Human Conversation
The core feature of ChatGPT centers on providing human-like conversation based on user-generated queries called prompts. It is generally similar to virtual assistant technologies and software applications such as Siri from
Apple and Alexa from
Amazon. However, based on its capabilities, it mimics real-life human conversations because it is based on more advanced supervised learning and reinforcement learning using large language models.
2. Built Based on Advanced GPT Model
GPT-3 is a
transformer-based autoregressive language and language prediction model from OpenAI. It is one of the largest non-sparse language models and has been considered one of the most important AI systems ever produced. The
subscription-based ChatGPT Plus is based on
GPT-4 which is larger and more advanced than GPT-3. The quality of texts it generates makes it difficult to ascertain whether or not it is written by a human.
3. Expansive Applications and Benefits
The chatbot is versatile. It can write outputs similar to commercial AI copywriters. Experiments have shown that it can write works of fiction and lyrics to music. It can help content creators an outline. The chatbot can also summarize, digest, and explain large bodies of text. Another interesting application of ChatGPT is that it can also write and debug computer programs. It is also capable of interpreting and producing images and graphs.
4. Availability of Plugins and Extensions
ChatGPT also supports plugins and extensions to extend its features and functions. The chatbot can be integrated with applications and services from OpenAI such as
DALL-E and third parties. Some plugins allow access to up-to-date information. These equip ChatGPT with the same function as
Bing Chat from
Microsoft and
Bard from
Google. Other plugins enable the chatbot to access and control certain third-party services.
5. Creating Custom ChatGPT Versions
OpenAI has also added a new feature that enables users to create custom versions of ChatGPT called GPTs for more specific applications or use cases. These customized versions are created through a combination of instructions, the addition of knowledgebase, and other parameters. Think of a dedicated AI chatbot that uses the knowledgebase of an organization to assist its internal workers or a science tutor built on knowledge from science textbooks.
6. Further Fine-Tuning Possibilities
Another advantage of ChatGPT is that its responses and overall performance can be fine-tuned. It banks on existing large language models while also having room for further improvements through active training using supervised learning and reinforcement learning. A user can upvote or downvote a particular response while also providing additional feedback. Its capabilities will improve further with the release of newer versions of the GPT model.
Cons of ChatGPT: Notable Disadvantages and Criticisms
1. Inaccuracies and Ambiguities
One of the biggest criticisms and limitations of ChatGPT is that it sometimes tends to produce texts that sound plausible or convincing but are incorrect or nonsensical under the surface. This phenomenon is called “
hallucination” and it is common in language models. Furthermore, when it comes to obtaining information, it does not provide references or citations. Using this chatbot alone for extensive research purposes and electronic trailing is not ideal.
2. Limited Knowledge of Recent Events
The version launched in November 2022 can only provide information about events occurring in 2021 and earlier. The newer version can now provide more updated information and the addition of plugins and custom GPTs can help it more current. The fact remains that the base chatbot is unable to respond based on newer knowledge. Users should keep in mind that it has limited knowledge of facts because it uses datasets that are not updated.
3. Works Based on Approximations
Another disadvantage of ChatGPT is that it does not have a true understanding of the knowledge of the world and does not have the comprehension levels of humans. It works primarily based on approximations. These approximates are presented as comprehensible texts. This is one of the reasons it tends to hallucinate and also why it struggles to comprehend large bodies of texts or keep track of prompts within the same conversation.
4. Content Policy and Jailbreaking
This AI chatbot is built with a content policy to keep it from generating texts that are potentially offensive to certain groups of people. Some call this a form of censorship and prominent personalities like Elon Musk see this as restrictive. Jailbreaking using various prompt engineering techniques has been used as a workaround. This workaround still signifies that the chatbot does not have a higher level of comprehension.
5. Notable Ethical Issues and Concerns
ChatGPT has been subjected to ethical scrutiny. Several educational institutions have banned its use. Researchers and creatives have worried about
copyright infringement because its outputs are based on actual human-generated texts. It also raises the question of whether it is ethical to use it as a substitute for services that require human interactions such as medical diagnosis, mentorship for upskilling, customer service, and therapeutic counseling.
6. Other Possible Legal Implications
GPT was built with data from the Common Crawl dataset which contains copyrighted materials from publishing companies and individual authors and researchers. Using the output it has generated can expose an individual to plagiarism complaints. Experts have also warned that AI-based applications can be used for cybercriminal activities. ChatGPT and other derivatives face legal uncertainties and possible compliance costs in the future.
