Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing the way we live and work. Chatbots, in particular, have become increasingly popular in various industries, providing efficient and personalized customer service experiences. With the development of ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI, the potential for AI-powered chatbots to transform the way we interact with technology is rapidly expanding. From customer service to education, healthcare, and more, ChatGPT is poised to revolutionize the way we live and work in ways we cannot yet fully comprehend.

It may surprise you that the previous paragraph was, in fact, written by ChatGPT itself. As a language model trained on a massive corpus of text data, the software is capable of generating human-like text on a variety of topics. The above paragraph serves as an example of the incredible potential of ChatGPT to automate the process of creation and provide a fast and efficient way to generate content. While there are certainly concerns about the potential misuse of such technology, the possibilities that ChatGPT offers for improving our lives and transforming the way we work are truly exciting.

Sorry, ChatGPT also wrote the paragraph above. I asked it to “explain that ChatGPT wrote the first paragraph as an example of what ChatGPT can do.” Am I writing these words now? Yes, but you’ll just have to take my word for it. This trust issue is among the concerns surrounding the rapid integration of ChatGPT into our everyday lives. Previously, we may have mistrusted the author of an article, but we could at least be certain it originated from a human mind. Today, what seems like the author’s hard-won perspective may actually be generated by computer software.

Then again, programs like ChatGPT are on track to surpass the intellectual capacity of any human mind. So, does it matter if you’re reading an AI-generated article? You sought information, and now you’re getting the very best of it — or would you rather receive knowledge seasoned with human bias and error? If you prefer human sources, flaws and all, consider the example of healthcare. Here’s a story recently shared in the newsletter of American entrepreneur Peter Diamandis:

“When my son was diagnosed with autism, they said there’s no cure, no treatment. So, I had to build an AI system to analyze all the medical clinical trials and do a first principles analysis to understand what could cause it… and then we did drug repurposing to ameliorate the symptoms.”

Diamandis predicts this personalized healthcare will soon be accessible to all, with AI as the best doctors and AI-driven robots as the top surgeons. You might prefer human-authored articles and human doctors now, but what if you were seriously ill? Would you choose to ignore the best information in favor of the possibility of human error?

Our level of concern about AI tools should depend on whether we can maintain an accurate awareness of our cooperation with them. ChatGPT wrote the first paragraph of this article, but I provided the prompt. Similarly, I came up with the idea to trick you with the second paragraph. So am I still the author? These are the kind of questions we need to ask ourselves as the influence of AI continues to grow.

So, should we be worried about ChatGPT or optimistic about how it might improve our lives? Here’s the answer from the horse’s mouth:

As with any new technology, there are legitimate concerns about the potential risks and unintended consequences of using ChatGPT. One of the main concerns is the potential for malicious actors to use this technology to generate fake news or propaganda, which could have serious consequences for public safety and political stability. There is also a risk that ChatGPT could be used to spread harmful or offensive content, which could be difficult to detect and prevent. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential impact on employment, as AI chatbots could potentially replace human workers in certain industries. However, it’s important to note that these risks are not unique to ChatGPT, and they exist for many other AI-powered technologies as well. With proper regulation and oversight, ChatGPT has the potential to provide many benefits and enhance our lives in countless ways.

I’m not sure what surprises me more about that response — the software’s human-like self-defense, or the fact that when it comes to wrapping up this piece I couldn’t have said it better myself.

*First published in Milk & Honey magazine, České Budějovice