It is on so many people’s feed, whether it be on the multitude of social media platforms or in news headlines. It is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, and it is free. But what is ChatGPT and should we be using it?
ChatGPT is the acronym for ‘Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer’. It is a type of artificially intelligent language model developed by OpenAI, a research organisation based in California, in the United States. The intention behind its development is to enhance human-computer interaction and to make a computer more intuitive to human needs and able to converse in a human-like language.
In addition to this customer-centric benefit, ChatGPT is designed to help organisations become more efficient and effective, by leveraging the ability to automate certain tasks, like generating reports, summarising data, as well as analysing large amounts of data and providing insights into it. This frees up humans to focus on more complex inquiries.
It is also a platform for research and development into artificial intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP – a field of study in computer science) which creates systems that can understand, interpret, and generate human language.
Wildly popular
According to Alexandra Garfinkle, senior reporter for Yahoo Finance, in February 2023, two months after its inception, ChatGPT ‘[was] on track to surpass 100 million monthly active users’. Additionally, says Garfinkle, ‘TikTok took nine months to reach 100 million MAUs, while Instagram took 30 months to hit the same benchmark.’
If you take the time to try the ChatGPT platform, you will establish that the most useful abilities it has include how it is able to explain, summarise, simplify, and engage with simple or complicated questions.
ChatGPT can generate ideas and create variations in language which is highly advantageous. It can be used as a scribe, a content or idea creator, a storyteller, marketer, or even a tutor. Its responses can help you become unstuck in your thinking by opening your mind to different vocabulary, ideas, or alternative ways to write.
ChatGPT also promotes better prompt engineering by encouraging the asking of clear questions and providing context and supplementary information for more detailed responses. With this amount of potential and language support, one could consider ChatGPT as an assistant to educating and learning.
‘How much of this article do you think ChatGPT wrote?’
Sceptics abound when it comes to introducing new technology, especially when it comes to the use of language generation platforms in education. However, by understanding the limitations of these platforms and addressing the ethical concerns directly, we can educate and prepare users for responsible and effective use. We therefore maximise the potential benefits and minimise the risks associated with AI language generation tools.
The limitations
With regard to the limitations of ChatGPT, firstly, keep in mind that it can only generate information from the data used to train it, and it does not have access to the internet or any other external sources of information. It generates responses based on patterns and relationships it learned up until the end of 2021 and therefore cannot be used for current affairs information.
ChatGPT also has built-in biases. For example, one cannot ask it to write about the ‘benefits of discrimination’. ChatGPT lacks common sense in its understanding of world concepts and because of this it can make nonsensical statements.
Similarly, it cannot understand abstract concepts like irony, humour or sarcasm and is sensitive to input, all of which can generate incorrect statements. These responses can perpetuate misinformation.
Its data is not necessary based on facts either, but rather popular information and therefore it is always best to reference responses against Google Scholar for accuracy where necessary. In many of its answers, ChatGPT will caution you about its limitations and encourage you to seek further information from other more reliable sources.
For those cautious of learners plagiarising from ChatGPT, remember that the writing of this language generator is flat, generic, monotone, non-judgmental, and lacks character. It is a different style of writing from a learner’s usual writing style and educator’s need to be aware of this. Learners should reference the use of ChatGPT in their writing if it is used.
Below is one example of its capability. It was asked to ‘Create a catchy headline for a school article’:
- ‘Revolutionizing Education: How ChatGPT is Transforming the Way We Learn’
- ‘Say Goodbye to Boredom: Bring Excitement to Your Studies with ChatGPT’
- ‘Unleashing Creativity and Innovation with ChatGPT: A School’s Journey’
- ‘Empowering Students to Soar: The Benefits of Incorporating ChatGPT in the Curriculum’
- ‘Education Reimagined: Exploring the Boundless Opportunities with ChatGPT.’
In reverse, I then asked it to ‘Create some warning headlines when using ChatGPT:
- ‘The Dark Side of AI: The Risks of Over-Reliance on ChatGPT and Other Language Models’
- ‘The Pitfalls of Automation: Avoiding the Traps of ChatGPT and other AI Systems’
- ‘The Illusion of Perfection: The Limitations of ChatGPT and the Need for Human Discernment’
- ‘The Threat of AI Bias: Addressing the Concerns with ChatGPT and Other Language-Based Technologies’
- ‘The Fine Line Between Help and Hindrance: Balancing the Use of ChatGPT in Our Lives’
What some students said
A very small sample group of six students between Grade 10 and matric, from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Eastern Cape Schools were recently canvassed for their opinion on ChatGPT, its use, how their schools had managed it to date, and their thoughts on it.
The feedback was interesting:
Grade 10 – Gauteng:
Yes, I know about it, we did an English comprehension test on it. I do not like it as it takes away from the point of school.
Grade 12 – Gauteng:
We spoke about it in history class and a few other classes. The school hasn’t said anything except that if it’s used it counts as plagiarism. I think it’s a cool concept.
Grade 11 – Eastern Cape:
Yes I know about it from a friend. School has told us we are not allowed to use it. It is very useful to clarify information or give me ideas for essay structure. Not everyone uses it but some people do.
Grade 12 – Eastern Cape:
Yes it’s an AI language programme that writes paragraphs and speeches for you. It helps me when I’m struggling to feel creative, but I change it to make it better. School just says we mustn’t use it.
Grade 12 – KZN:
I heard about it from Instagram, friends and teachers. I personally use it to get a good starting for an essay or if I need help on certain sub-headings. Once I’ve got it started, then I find it easy. The school has no tolerance for it because they think they can’t pick up the differences between my writing and ChatGPT.
Grade 12 – KZN:
I saw it on TikTok. It’s an AI tool to help you write essays and do schoolwork. It’s very easy to use, you simply type your question and the AI will answer for you. The school isn’t able to tell that you used ChatGPT because it’s an AI language model and not plagiarism.
The above comments give you some insight into the direction ChatGPT is likely to take in education. By integrating critical thinking skills with the use of ChatGPT, students can become more informed, ethical and discerning users of technology, while developing their ability to think critically about information they encounter in their studies and daily lives. In a world that is overwhelmed by misinformation, these skills are imperative to evaluating information accurately and well-reasoned decision-making.
Don’t give in to FUD
Humans have a natural tendency to be sceptical. This response is our self-protection instinct to prevent any potential negative consequences. This inclination plays into the sales strategy of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) which often overtakes our sensibility of constructively engaging with various mediums of technological advancement to support and enhance our ability to learn.
It is through a process of conscientising these thoughts that we develop our own learnability quotient as well as that of those we teach. Just as it is important to use both our brain and GPS for directions to avoid blindly following the latter and taking the longer route, it is equally important to use our critical thinking skills in conjunction with ChatGPT to maximise its benefits.
Lastly, how much of this article do you think ChatGPT wrote?