Is Chat GPT an idiot?
Forgive my strong language, but as a technologist and a futurist, I have been deeply involved in Artificial Intelligence for nearly two decades. With that in mind, I would strongly recommend that people think deeply about the results they get from Chat GPT and other AI resources. Here’s a few quick reasons why:
The genius is in the question
A decade ago, I was at a medical technology conference, and I asked one of the technologists associated with the IBM Watson Project, his opinion of the future of Watson. He instantly responded that his big concern was that you had to “spoon feed” the data into the black box, and accuracy of the data input into the black box was often incomplete or flawed. As the worn-out adage suggests “garbage in garbage out.” Much of the genius of analyzing anything is the incredible human ability to “ask the right questions.”
There is a big difference between intelligence and human wisdom
I know a lot of people who are incredibly intelligent, however they are essentially functionally stupid. By that I mean, they’re using the machinery of their intelligence to draw conclusions that result in really bad ideas. Certainly, you must know some incredibly smart people that constantly seem to be devoid of any human wisdom, just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you draw good conclusions.
AI is a weapon
You can use a handgun to defend yourself against a robber, or you can use it to commit a murder. The hunk of steel that makes up a gun has no sense of ethics, morality, or humanity. There is absolutely no question that bad people will use this weapon in a way to cause injury, while others use it as a way to save lives. With that in mind, let’s treat AI as the weapon it is!
I’m currently working on a comprehensive white paper which will be out in a week or so that talks about the three key elements of Artificial Intelligence and what we need to know about it on a practical level to help us, and our organizations serve others while ensuring that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.