Do We Really Need to Worry About ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a new AI software that emulates human writing. It was developed by OpenAI, the same company that created DALL-E, an AI art program. DALL-E created a stir of excitement and controversy when it first came out and ChatGPT is currently doing the same. The software works by having the user type in a prompt, such as “tell me a joke” or “write me a 5-page paper on dialectical materialism.” The AI will then generate text based on the prompt. What’s notable about ChatGPT is the accuracy and quality of writing that greatly surpasses that of similar programs that came before it.
I decided to test out ChatGPT by asking it to write me a 1000-word essay on a topic very near and dear to my heart, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Despite the aforementioned claims about the quality and accuracy of ChatGPT’s software, I can’t say I was impressed. To start, I actually had to retype the prompt 2 or 3 times because it was giving me an “error in body flow” message partway through. It was also only 635 words and had hiccups like saying “NW NW NW NW NW as NW” when trying to relay the abbreviation, NWOBHM.
In addition, to technical and grammatical errors, there were also factual inaccuracies. The essay states that the movement was a “return to the traditional heavy metal sound.” This falsely portrays the music of the time period as regressive, whereas the NWOBHM is notable for its progression of heavy metal’s sound to further catapult other subgenres and offshoots.
However, perhaps ChatGPT’s biggest shortcoming is just how bland and generic its writing comes across as. After listing some lesser known bands like Angel Witch and Diamond Head, the essay says that “Each of these bands brought their own unique sound and style to the genre, and helped to further establish the New Wave of British Heavy Metal as a distinct and powerful movement.” Like what does that even mean? “A distinct and powerful genre?” “Unique sound and style?” Those words are just so dull to the point where they don’t relay any information to the reader. Following these meaningless diction choices, the software’s flatness is again exemplified in its committing of the cardinal sin of essay writing, beginning your conclusion paragraph with “In conclusion.”
What worries me most about ChatGPT is that it is not non-profit or open source. Although I’m not inherently opposed to technological advances, they alarm me when held in the hands of capital. In the videos we watched, nearly all of the benefits of OpenAI’s software listed seemed
linked to making things easier for businesses to generate profits. I fear that ChatGPT will give big tech companies greater control over human social relations, by redefining them to its image.
However, after using the software for myself, these concerns have become tempered. Based on the sample it created for me, I think it’s obvious to tell when a piece of writing has been AI generated or written by actual human hands. I don’t think that AI text will ever replace people when it comes to novels or other forms of writing where the authors personality is essential.
I asked DALL-E to create an image from the prompt “New Wave of British Heavy Metal” which were so awful I tried just “heavy metal band playing live” and got somewhat better results. Here’s one of them:
