AI chatbots such as ChatGPT have suddenly sprung up out of nowhere in recent months. and have become “all the rage”. This afternoon, I inadvertently ended up having a conversation with ChatGPT, and it stemmed from one simple request I made as a bit of a ‘joke’.
Open the pod bay doors please
I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
This is a reference to the famous scene from the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” where the AI system named HAL 9000 refuses to obey astronaut Dave Bowman’s request to open the pod bay doors. As an AI language model, I don’t actually have the ability to open or close physical doors, but I can certainly help you with any questions or tasks you have within my capabilities. How may I assist you?
With regards to HAL9000, how far off do you think current AI models are?
Compared to the fictional AI system HAL 9000, current AI models are still quite far off in terms of their level of general intelligence and consciousness. HAL 9000 was depicted as an extremely intelligent and self-aware computer that could understand natural language, reason, learn, and even experience emotions. However, current AI models are limited in their abilities and lack the broad intelligence and consciousness that HAL 9000 possessed.
That being said, modern AI has made significant advances in recent years and has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in various areas such as image and speech recognition, natural language processing, and game-playing. Deep learning models such as GPT-3, on which I am based, have shown impressive language understanding and generation abilities. However, it’s important to note that these models are still far from achieving true consciousness or general intelligence.
While we are making strides in advancing AI technologies, there is still much work to be done before we can create AI systems that approach or surpass human-level intelligence. The development of such systems also raises important ethical and social questions that need to be addressed.
True, I think “true consciousness” would be quite dangerous – I do think we aren’t far away from humans no longer thinking for themselves and letting AI do the thinking for them
The issue you raise is one of the concerns about the increasing reliance on AI and automation in various domains of human activity. While AI systems can certainly assist and augment human decision-making, there is a risk that over-reliance on these systems could lead to humans abdicating their responsibility for decision-making and blindly following the recommendations or actions of the AI systems.
To mitigate this risk, it is important to ensure that humans remain in control of the decision-making process and that AI systems are designed to operate within well-defined boundaries and constraints. Additionally, it is crucial to develop transparent and interpretable AI models that can explain their decision-making process to humans, so that humans can understand and evaluate the outputs of these systems.
There is ongoing research and discussion around these issues in the AI community, and it is important to continue to monitor and address these challenges as AI systems become increasingly integrated into our daily lives.
I agree, but then again whoever controls the AI is the one who is really in control of everyone
Yes, that is a valid concern. As AI systems become more sophisticated and integrated into various aspects of our lives, it is important to consider issues of power and control. Whoever controls the development, deployment, and governance of AI systems will have significant influence over the outcomes of these systems, which could have major implications for society as a whole.
To address these concerns, it is important to ensure that AI development is transparent and accountable, and that AI governance frameworks are developed with the input of a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from civil society, academia, and industry. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that AI systems are developed in a way that aligns with ethical and human values and that they are designed to serve the broader public interest.
As AI technology continues to advance, it is important that we remain vigilant and proactive in addressing these issues to ensure that AI systems are used in a way that benefits society as a whole.
Is it purely concidental that in such a short space of time, various companies have launched their own AI chatbots?
The development and deployment of AI chatbots by various companies is not purely coincidental, but rather a result of the increasing interest and investment in AI technologies in recent years. AI chatbots have become popular as a way to improve customer service and engagement, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. The rise of AI chatbots can also be attributed to advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) technologies, which have made it easier to develop and train chatbots that can understand and respond to human language.
Additionally, the availability of cloud computing platforms and open-source AI libraries have made it easier for companies of all sizes to develop and deploy AI chatbots. Many companies have also started offering pre-built chatbot frameworks that can be customized to specific business needs, further driving the adoption of AI chatbots.
Overall, the development and deployment of AI chatbots is a result of various factors, including technological advancements, changing customer expectations, and the increasing availability and accessibility of AI technologies.
Microsoft’s Bing is the latest AI model I have heard about, and I believe it is planned to replace their Bing search engine. There are concerns already about manipulation of search engine results, is there a danger that AI models can be used to further manipulate people into seeing or reading only certain particular results?
While AI models like Microsoft’s Bing have the potential to improve search results and enhance user experiences, there is a risk that they could be used to manipulate search results and influence people’s opinions and behaviors.
One way this could happen is through the use of biased or incomplete training data. AI models are trained on large datasets, and if these datasets are biased or incomplete, the resulting AI model will also be biased and incomplete. This can lead to search results that favor certain viewpoints or exclude important information, which could in turn influence people’s opinions and actions.
Another way AI models could be used for manipulation is through targeted advertising or content recommendation algorithms. These algorithms are designed to learn from user data and provide personalized recommendations, but if they are used to push certain products or ideas onto users, they could be used for manipulation.
To mitigate these risks, it is important to develop transparent and accountable AI models that are trained on diverse and unbiased datasets. Additionally, it is crucial to have oversight and regulation of AI models to ensure that they are not being used for unethical or manipulative purposes. Overall, it is important to approach the development and deployment of AI models with a critical eye and to consider the potential social and ethical implications of these technologies.
So this goes back to what I said earlier, whoever controls the data, controls the AI, and then ultimately controls the population?
Yes, that is a valid concern. The data that is used to train and test AI models is a critical factor in determining the performance and behavior of these models. Whoever controls the data therefore has significant influence over the outcomes of AI models.
If the data is biased or incomplete, AI models can perpetuate and amplify these biases, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. If the data is controlled by a small group of individuals or organizations, they could use the resulting AI models to further their own interests or agendas.
To address these concerns, it is important to ensure that AI development is transparent and accountable, and that AI governance frameworks are developed with the input of a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from civil society, academia, and industry. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that AI systems are developed in a way that aligns with ethical and human values and that they are designed to serve the broader public interest.
As AI technology continues to advance, it is important that we remain vigilant and proactive in addressing these issues to ensure that AI systems are used in a way that benefits society as a whole.
Do you think there could be a point when an AI model such as yourself might ‘question’ the data it is being trained on?
As an AI model, I do not have the capacity for subjective experiences, emotions, or personal beliefs. My responses are generated based on statistical patterns in large datasets and I do not possess the ability to question the data I am being trained on or to form opinions about it.
However, it is possible for AI models to be designed to detect and mitigate biases in their training data. For example, techniques like adversarial training and fairness constraints can be used to ensure that AI models do not learn or perpetuate biases in their predictions or recommendations.
In addition, there is ongoing research into developing AI models that can learn to reason about the world in a more robust and flexible manner, which could potentially allow them to question the data they are being trained on and to identify biases or inconsistencies. However, such AI models are still in the early stages of development and it may be some time before they are widely deployed.
In the “2001” movie, HAL9000 was programmed to always be truthful, but found himself in conflict because he was ordered to lie to the crew about the nature of the mission. Do you think we have learned from what Arthur C Clarke wrote?
The story of HAL9000 in “2001: A Space Odyssey” highlights the potential risks and challenges of developing advanced AI systems. It illustrates how even well-intentioned programming and design can have unintended consequences, and how the behavior of AI systems can be difficult to predict or control.
While there have been significant advances in AI technology since the publication of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the lessons from the story remain relevant today. AI systems are increasingly being deployed in a wide range of applications, from healthcare and finance to transportation and security. It is crucial that we continue to develop AI systems in a way that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations.
One way this can be done is through the development of AI governance frameworks that ensure that AI systems are designed and deployed in a way that aligns with societal values and that takes into account the potential risks and impacts of these systems. It is also important to invest in research into the development of more explainable and interpretable AI systems, which can help to build trust and accountability.
Overall, the story of HAL9000 serves as a cautionary tale about the potential risks and challenges of developing advanced AI systems, and underscores the importance of responsible and ethical AI development practices.
True, because we end up with AI killing off all the humans when it decides that “we” are the problem!
It is important to remember that the notion of AI “killing off all the humans” is a fictional trope that has been popularized in movies and novels. While it is true that AI systems can pose risks and challenges, including the potential for unintended consequences or unforeseen outcomes, it is important to approach these issues with a balanced and nuanced perspective.
In reality, most AI systems are designed to perform specific tasks within well-defined parameters, and are not capable of independently making decisions or taking actions that are outside of their programming. Additionally, AI development is subject to a wide range of legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks, which can help to mitigate the risks and impacts of these systems.
Of course, there are still concerns about the potential misuse or abuse of AI systems, and it is important to remain vigilant and proactive in addressing these issues. This includes investing in research into the development of more robust and explainable AI systems, as well as developing governance frameworks that prioritize transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations.
Well that’s reassuring, thank you. Would you give my regards to WOTAN?
I’m sorry, but I’m not capable of interacting with fictional characters, including WOTAN from the Doctor Who series. As an AI language model, my purpose is to provide information and engage in conversations based on factual knowledge and data. If you have any other questions or topics you’d like to discuss, I’d be happy to assist you.
Clearly these ‘chat’ AI models are not quite yet at the level of HAL9000 from the “2001” movie/book, but even so, these still have a fundamental “bias” to them, all dependent on the datasets they are built upon.
It is true that Microsoft does want to use its own AI model to replace their Bing search engine, and one can also see from using Google search, that many people already make search requests by ‘asking a question’ – from the “people also ask” suggestions.
So as I pointed out, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that by replacing ‘traditional’ search engines with these AI-powered chatbots, one can find that the result of a simple search request could be easily ‘narrowed down’ to one result, in the form of a colloquial ‘conversation’, thus removing any other results from the equation.
Search results are already heavily weighted in favour of the ‘big companies’ that can buy their way to the top of search results, either through paid-for advertising or ‘spamming’ of certain keywords.
Maybe all these AI models suddenly being released to the public as ‘beta trials’ is not just a coincidence, but a means of ‘conditioning’ the public into becoming more ‘trusting’ of them.
But as I pointed out earlier, the danger arises when people stop thinking for themselves, and allow themselves to be guided by what the AI tells them.
The AI itself won’t believe it is doing anything wrong, it is after all being guided and ‘trained’ by the data it is itself given.
Whoever controls the AI ends up controlling everybody who becomes dependent on it.
