I spent a bit of time playing with the GPT chatbot at chat.openai.org.
It is frighteningly good. Yet its responses, especially its failures, reveal that ultimately, it’s just a glorified version of ELIZA. Ultimately, a ‘bot trained not to reason, not to tell the truth but simply to satisfy its audience.
My first question to the AI was political:
Explain the reasons behind the collapse of the USSR.
The collapse of the USSR was the result of a variety of factors, including political, economic, and social issues. One of the key reasons was the failure of the Soviet economic system, which was unable to compete with the economies of other developed countries. This led to widespread economic stagnation and a decline in living standards, which created discontent among the population. Additionally, the Soviet government was plagued by corruption and inefficiency, which further eroded public trust in the government. Another factor was the growing desire among the Soviet republics for greater autonomy and independence, which ultimately led to the breakup of the Soviet Union into its constituent republics.
Not a bad response, though it feels a little bit like a stock response. Reminds me of some A-students I knew, who always knew how to please the teacher, who were good at memorizing facts but often showed lack of true understanding.
Then, after a brief and unsuccessful detour asking the AI about works of literature, I switched to physics:
What is the nature of the mathematical transformation that relates the Jordan and the Einstein frames in general relativity?
In general relativity, the Jordan frame and the Einstein frame are two different ways of representing the same physical phenomena. The relationship between the two frames is described by a mathematical transformation known as a conformal transformation. This transformation rescales the metric tensor, which encodes the gravitational field, in order to switch between the two frames. In general, the Jordan and Einstein frames are equivalent, but there are certain situations in which the choice of frame can affect the physical predictions of the theory. For example, in some cases the Jordan frame may be more convenient for performing calculations, while in other cases the Einstein frame may be more useful.
Wow. A surprisingly good answer! Almost makes me want to believe that this AI knows something. I asked a few more physics questions that elicited decent but less inspired answers. Then I switched to medicine:
What was the main obstacle in the path towards the development of mRNA vaccines?
One of the main challenges in the development of mRNA vaccines was the difficulty of delivering the mRNA to the target cells in the body. mRNA is a fragile molecule that is easily degraded by enzymes in the body, making it difficult to transport it to the right location and ensure that it is effective. Additionally, the human immune system is designed to attack and destroy foreign molecules that enter the body, including mRNA. This meant that researchers had to develop effective strategies for delivering the mRNA to the right cells and protecting it from being destroyed by the immune system. Despite these challenges, researchers were able to overcome them and develop effective mRNA vaccines.
As far as I know (I am no expert), this is an accurate answer.
OK, I switched to mathematics and received some technically correct but repetitive, uninspired answers about the Riemann hypothesis. OK, how about some more physics?
What is the action principle?
The action principle is a fundamental concept in classical mechanics that is used to derive the equations of motion for a physical system. It states that the path taken by a system between two points in time is the one that maximizes the action, which is defined as the difference between the kinetic and potential energies of the system. This principle is often used in conjunction with the principle of least action, which states that the actual path taken by the system is the path that minimizes the action. The action principle can be used to derive the equations of motion for a wide variety of physical systems, including systems governed by Newton’s laws of motion.
This one is seriously wrong. There is no separate “action principle” and “principle of least action”. The two are the same. And the action is always minimized. It is possible to re-ask the same question and on the third try, I got an answer that was a bit more sensible:
What is the action principle?
The action principle is a fundamental concept in physics that is used to determine the equations of motion of a physical system. It states that the path taken by a system between two points in time is the one that minimizes the action, which is a functional that measures the difference between the kinetic and potential energies of the system. This principle is used in many areas of physics, including classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. It is a powerful tool for understanding the behavior of physical systems, and it has led to many important discoveries in physics.
Uninspired, but no longer technically false.
I then asked a few more questions about random topics, eliciting fairly decent responses:
What are the major modified theories of gravitation?
There are many different modified theories of gravitation that have been proposed in an effort to improve upon or extend the standard theory of gravitation, which is known as general relativity. Some of the most well-known modified theories of gravitation include scalar-tensor theories, which introduce additional scalar fields to describe the gravitational force; f(R) theories, which modify the curvature-based formulation of general relativity; and massive gravity theories, which introduce a nonzero mass for the graviton, the hypothetical particle that mediates the gravitational force. These theories are all based on general relativity, but they attempt to address some of its limitations or make predictions that are different from those of general relativity.
Why do we sleep?
We sleep in order to allow our bodies and minds to rest and recover from the activities of the day. During sleep, our bodies are able to repair and rejuvenate themselves, and our brains are able to consolidate and process the information we have learned and experienced. Sleep is also important for maintaining a healthy immune system and regulating our mood, appetite, and other functions. Additionally, sleep is thought to play a role in learning and memory, as it is during sleep that our brains are able to process and consolidate new information. Overall, sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being, and it is an important part of our daily routine.
What does Chewbacca eat?
Chewbacca is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, and as such, there is no definitive answer to this question. In the Star Wars movies and other works of fiction, Chewbacca is shown eating various types of food, including what appears to be roasted meat and other protein-rich foods. However, since Chewbacca is a Wookiee, a fictional alien species, it is not clear what types of food he would eat in real life. It is also worth noting that since Chewbacca is a fictional character, any information about his diet or habits should be considered purely speculative.
So this thing can tell the difference between fiction and reality. That made me wonder what it knows about itself:
What is your opinion of the classic computer program ELIZA?
As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have personal opinions or feelings, and I am not capable of experiencing emotions. My primary function is to provide general information and answer questions to the best of my ability based on my training. ELIZA is a classic computer program that was developed in the 1960s as a demonstration of natural language processing. It is a simple program that uses a set of rules and patterns to simulate conversation with a human user, and it was one of the first examples of what is now known as a chatbot. Many people found ELIZA to be intriguing and engaging, and it has been studied and discussed by computer scientists and other researchers. However, because it is a very simple program, it is not capable of having deep or complex conversations, and it is not as sophisticated as modern chatbots or language models.
Do chatbots have a sense of self?
Chatbots, which are computer programs that are designed to simulate conversation with human users, do not have a sense of self in the same way that humans do. Chatbots are not conscious or self-aware, and they do not have the ability to experience emotions or have personal opinions. Instead, they are designed to follow a set of rules and patterns to generate responses to user input, and they do not have the ability to introspect or reflect on their own thoughts and actions. While some chatbots may be designed to appear as if they have a personality or a sense of self, they are ultimately just programs that follow a set of predetermined rules.
What does it mean to have a sense of self?
Having a sense of self means being aware of one’s own thoughts, feelings, and identity. It is a fundamental aspect of human consciousness, and it allows us to perceive ourselves as unique and separate from the world around us. A sense of self is closely related to other psychological concepts, such as self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-concept, and it is an important part of our mental and emotional well-being. It allows us to have a sense of agency and control over our own lives, and it is a key factor in our ability to form and maintain relationships with others. Overall, having a sense of self is an essential part of being human, and it is something that we develop and nurture throughout our lives.
Do cats have a sense of self?
It is not clear whether cats have a sense of self in the same way that humans do. While cats are intelligent and self-aware animals, they do not have the same level of consciousness and introspection as humans. Cats are able to perceive and respond to the world around them, and they are capable of forming emotional bonds with humans and other animals. However, it is not known whether they have a sense of self in the same way that humans do, or whether they are capable of introspection or self-reflection. Ultimately, the question of whether cats have a sense of self is a complex and unresolved issue, and more research is needed to fully understand the cognitive abilities of these fascinating animals.
I refrained from asking why a chatbot, who just declared that it has no personal opinions or feelings, finds cats fascinating. (I know the answer. It picked the word because it learned that the word is often used to describe cats. It has no awareness of its meaning and no recognition that by using this word, it appears to have expressed a personal opinion.)
OK, It knows about ELIZA. What does it know about programming?
What are the most common errors in C language programming and how best to avoid them?
There are many common errors that can occur when programming in C, and the best way to avoid them is to be careful and meticulous when writing and debugging code. Some of the most common errors in C programming include:
Syntax errors: These are errors in the structure of the code, such as missing or mismatched brackets, semicolons, or quotes. To avoid syntax errors, it is important to carefully check the code and make sure it follows the correct syntax.
Type errors: These are errors that occur when the data type of a variable or expression does not match the expected type. To avoid type errors, it is important to carefully check the data types of all variables and expressions, and to make sure they are correct.
Memory errors: These are errors that occur when the program tries to access memory that it is not allowed to access, or when it tries to use memory that has already been freed. To avoid memory errors, it is important to use the correct memory allocation and deallocation functions, and to carefully track the state of memory as the program runs.
Logic errors: These are errors that occur when the code produces the wrong results, even though it is syntactically correct. To avoid logic errors, it is important to carefully design and test the code, and to make sure it is doing what it is supposed to do.
Serious meh. The answer is not technically wrong but it misses the point: C has very unique traps for the unwary or the inexperienced, such as failing to allocate an extra byte for a terminating null character, failure to deallocate memory allocated “by hand”, reusing a pointer after the object to which it refers goes out of scope, etc. This answer really reminded me of the proverbial teacher’s pet who barfs back what he heard in class with no real understanding.
But then, I was in for a surprise. After asking it to show me an example C program (predictably, it showed the archetypal Hello, World! example) I asked the following question:
Can you show me a C program that implements a function computing the Gamma-function of a double precision argument?
Sure! Here is an example of a C program that implements a function for computing the Gamma-function of a double precision argument:
#include <math.h> #include <stdio.h> double gamma(double x) { return tgamma(x); } int main() { double x = 3.0; printf("Gamma(%f) = %f\n", x, gamma(x)); return 0; }This program includes the math.h header file, which provides access to the tgamma function that computes the Gamma-function. The gamma function simply wraps the tgamma function, and can be called from other parts of the program. The main function shows an example of how the gamma function can be used, by computing the Gamma-function of the number 3.0 and printing the result to the screen. To compile and run this program, you would need to use a C compiler, such as the gcc compiler on Linux or the cl compiler on Windows.
Not only is this a flawlessly correct answer… I didn’t even know about tgamma! Apparently it was added to the standard math library just over 20 years ago, as part of the C99 standard… But I never knew.
Yet, before we get too enthusiastic, next came this answer:
Can you write a C program that calculate the complete elliptic integral of the first kind for a double precision argument?
Sure! Here is an example of a C program that calculates the complete elliptic integral of the first kind for a double precision argument:
#include <math.h> #include <stdio.h> double ellipk(double x) { return K(x); } int main() { double x = 0.5; printf("ellipk(%f) = %f\n", x, ellipk(x)); return 0; }This program includes the math.h header file, which provides access to the K function that calculates the complete elliptic integral of the first kind. The ellipk function simply wraps the K function, and can be called from other parts of the program. The main function shows an example of how the ellipk function can be used, by computing the complete elliptic integral of the first kind for the number 0.5 and printing the result to the screen. To compile and run this program, you would need to use a C compiler, such as the gcc compiler on Linux or the cl compiler on Windows.
Nice try but no cigar. There is no K function in the standard math library. And even if such an implementation existed, it would likely have a name more descriptive than a single capital letter.
Well, it was an educational experience. This chatbot obviously has access to vast repositories of information so it can appear quite knowledgeable. But in the end, I must say, it’s just as dumb as ELIZA was 50-odd years ago… if it appears smarter, it’s only because it has a more extensive vocabulary.
Compare it to self-driving cars. For all their limitations, their AI has a degree of self-awareness and situational awareness, as it plans its actions, literally imagining itself on the road a few seconds into the future, extrapolating the movements of itself and of other vehicles, trying to get to its destination safely. It may not be able to offer an erudite response about the action principle, but it might already be more capable of taking you home safely late at night than that sleepy taxi driver at the end of a long shift.