ChatGPT Turns 1: AI Chatbot’s Success Says as Much About Humans as Technology
Drexel University
ChatGPT, the groundbreaking AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, celebrates its first anniversary on November 30, 2022. In what has been hailed as artificial intelligence’s breakout year, ChatGPT captured the world’s attention, stunning even its creators with its meteoric rise to popularity. The chatbot quickly went viral, filling social media feeds with screenshots of conversations. By January, ChatGPT boasted a staggering 13 million unique visitors daily, setting a new record for the fastest-growing user base of a consumer application.
Underpinning ChatGPT’s triumph is not only the technological milestone it represents but also the implications it holds for human behavior. As an expert in technology and human information behavior, I recognize that the societal impact of ChatGPT stems from how people perceive and utilize this technology.
Generative artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly prevalent. OpenAI claims that a staggering 100 million people engage with ChatGPT every week since its launch. Moreover, not only is ChatGPT utilized by individuals in their homes, but it has also found its way into the business world, where employees at all levels, even in the C-suite, leverage the capabilities of this AI chatbot. The tech industry views generative AI as the most significant platform since the iPhone’s debut in 2007, resulting in fervent investment in AI startups.
Despite its overwhelming success, ChatGPT has raised numerous concerns. The implications of the technology for disinformation, fraud, intellectual property, and discrimination have been widely discussed. In the domain of higher education, cheating has been a particular focus, prompting me to investigate the issue further.
Reflecting on ChatGPT’s first year, it becomes apparent that the power of a good interface has been a key driver of its success. Artificial intelligence has been integrated into everyday products for over a decade, yet the initial version of GPT, the AI model powering ChatGPT, failed to capture the same level of attention upon its release in 2018. It was the introduction of a chat-based interface that propelled AI into this breakout year.
Chat holds a unique allure for humans. Language is an innate ability, and conversation forms the foundation of human interaction and our assessment of intelligence. A chat-based interface intuitively enables interaction and offers users a chance to encounter AI system intelligence. The phenomenal triumph of ChatGPT once again demonstrates that user interfaces are the driving force behind the widespread adoption of technology, such as the Macintosh, web browsers, and the iPhone. Design makes all the difference.
Simultaneously, one of generative AI’s core strengths, namely generating persuasive language, makes it prone to producing false or misleading information. ChatGPT and its counterparts provide an avenue for malicious actors to exploit human vulnerabilities, potentially amplifying fraud and misinformation. This potential for harm underscores the need to regulate AI, given the technology’s ability to deceive.
However, amidst the genuine opportunities and risks inherent in generative AI, the technology has also become a case study in the power of hype. Throughout this year, numerous articles have heralded AI as the catalyst for transforming all aspects of society, fueling grand proclamations about its unstoppable proliferation. ChatGPT faced its own hype campaign, with some even viewing it as an existential threat. Although fears of superintelligent AI systems wiping out humanity may be misguided, the media’s penchant for hype, combined with the current climate of venture funding, generates anxiety without fostering informed decision-making.
Looking towards the future, it is expected that the AI wave of 2023 will likely encounter technical limitations and infrastructural obstacles, such as chip manufacturing and server capacity. Consequently, a potential slowdown in development may enable the formation of behavioral norms regarding the acceptable use and effectiveness of ChatGPT. As with other revolutionary technologies, humans will learn to incorporate generative AI tools into their workflows, expediting certain tasks with fewer errors. Just as society learned to Google for information, new practices will emerge for working with generative AI.
Nonetheless, the forthcoming year of 2024 is not without challenges. With elections slated to take place worldwide, AI-generated content will inevitably be used to sway public opinion and augment societal division. While Meta has banned the use of generative AI in political advertising, such measures will not thwart the creation and dissemination of false or misleading content through tools like ChatGPT. The proliferation of political misinformation via social media and other channels during the 2016 and 2020 elections virtually guarantees that generative AI will be employed to continue these efforts. Misinformation can also be generated through conversations with ChatGPT itself.
Consequently, the second year of this monumental technology will teach all users, regardless of their engagement with ChatGPT, the importance of vigilance when navigating digital media in all its forms.
In conclusion, the one-year anniversary of ChatGPT marks an impressive milestone in the realm of artificial intelligence. This success is not only attributed to the technological advancements achieved but also sheds light on the complex relationship between humans and AI. As we stand at the precipice of AI’s future, it becomes increasingly crucial to strike a balance between innovation and ethical considerations. By understanding both the promises and perils of AI, we can harness its potential while safeguarding against its harmful implications.
