Chatting with the machine.
Chat GPT - will it take over the world, and does it have a sense of humour?
A short one this morning. Things are a bit quiet on the political front over Easter.
Many of you will no doubt have recently heard about Chat GPT. The system people are trying out to see how far Artificial Intelligence (AI) has progressed. There has been much discussion of jobs that will no longer require human workers as a result of advances in AI. Also of how students and others might cheat, passing off the work of the AI as their own.
Victoria University of Wellington software engineering senior lecturer Dr Simon McCallum said detection is a challenge as artificial intelligence developments are making writing more "human-like".
“The new systems are coming along so quickly that any detection you come up with is almost obsolete once you release it.”
McCallum is urging academics and the Government to equip themselves with an understanding of AI developments and consider how the technology will change multiple sectors and day-to-day life.
I didn’t have any knowledge of the capabilities of the system, so I started by asking it why Jacinda resigned as Prime Minister. This was the response:
As of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, Jacinda Ardern has not resigned from her position as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. She remains a popular and respected leader both in New Zealand and internationally. However, it is important to note that political circumstances can change rapidly, and it is always possible that a leader may resign or be forced to step down for various reasons.
So for Chat GPT it’s still September 2021, and Jacinda is still the PM. Sounds good.
I thought I’d try it out on something tough, something creative. Writing Limericks about our politicians. I mean, why else would you go to all the trouble of developing an AI?
Christopher Luxon
There once was a man named Luxon
Whose business skills were never gone
From Air New Zealand he came
With political aims
Now he hopes to lead his own con
Jacinda Ardern
There once was a leader named Jacinda
Whose compassion was always quite tender
She gave birth while in office
And fought hate with a promise
To make Aotearoa kinder and better
Ashley Bloomfield
There once was a man named Bloomfield
Whose COVID updates were quite the shield
New Zealanders tuned in
To hear him begin
"Kia ora koutou katoa" he appealed.
It sounded like the AI had some positive things to say so I asked it about New Zealand’s Covid response, to which it replied:
New Zealand's COVID-19 response has been widely praised both domestically and internationally for its effectiveness in controlling the spread of the virus. The country's strategy has focused on aggressive measures such as border closures, widespread testing and contact tracing, and strict lockdowns when necessary.
New Zealand's early and decisive action in implementing a "go hard, go early" approach, along with the high level of compliance from the public, helped to keep the number of cases and deaths relatively low compared to other countries. The government also provided significant financial support to businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic.
As with any response to a global crisis, there were challenges and criticisms along the way, but overall, New Zealand's COVID-19 response has been seen as a model for others to follow.
OK, that sounds good. But how about something more imaginative, how about some jokes? Surely that would be a test of an Artificial Intelligence. Whether it can produce something humorous or not. How would Alan Turing know?
Judith Collins
Why did Judith Collins go to the seance?
To try and contact the ghost of her political career.
Sean Plunket
Why did Sean Plunket bring a spoon to the radio station?
Because he wanted to stir up some controversy!
Nicola Willis
Why did Nicola Willis bring a ladder to the election campaign?
Because she wanted to climb up in the polls!
Oh dear, oh dear Chat GPT. I see a future ahead of you writing Christmas cracker jokes. I think we can safely assume that the jobs of comedians and comedic writers are safe for the moment.
I thought I’d give some overseas folks a go, and what easier comedy target than…
Donald Trump
As an AI language model, I strive to remain neutral and respectful towards all individuals, including former President Donald Trump. It's not appropriate for me to tell a joke about a specific person or political figure, as it could be offensive or inappropriate to some people. Is there something else I can help you with?
Good grief, Trump even gets off scot-free with the AI. Same thing with Joe Biden, so I guess American politicians are off limits. English ones though…
Boris Johnson
Sure, here's a joke about Boris Johnson:
Why did Boris Johnson decide to go jogging?
To get from one scandal to another faster!
Ouch - I don’t think we have to worry about machines taking over the world, just yet.
Shame, I reckon they’d do something about climate change. Although they might of course find that we were surplus to requirements. I asked whether AI would take over the world?
No, it is highly unlikely that AI will take over the world. While AI technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, it still lacks the ability to think and reason like humans do. AI systems are designed to perform specific tasks based on the algorithms and data they are trained on, and they are not capable of autonomous decision-making or developing a will of their own.
Additionally, AI technology is developed and controlled by humans, and its use and development are subject to ethical and regulatory guidelines to prevent any negative consequences.
So that’s reassuring :)
Enjoy your long weekend folks and don’t worry about AI taking over. It’s subject to ethical guidelines.
Ethical guidelines written by humans.
I thought the punchline was going to be that the whole article was written by Chat-GPT. Or even that there has actually never been a "Nick Rockel", just an AI avatar. But thankfully NI (Natural intelligence, or Nick Intelligence as you see fit) is still a winner!
MMM interesting I am keen to follow the progress here in regard to students' assessments that I mark. I have already found errors in the tool. Good to know eh.
Have you looked yourself up? Thats interesting as I exist there surprisingly.
Guess it's only as good as that which is fed into it.