Like most of you, I’ve been reading what various experts predict are the trends for 2023 – whether that’s economics, business prosperity, PR, marketing, or climate action. What’s fascinated me the most is the fervour whipping around ChatGPT – particularly in the last few weeks.
ChatGPT is a sophisticated chatbot launched by OpenAI on 30 November 2022 (it attracted millions of users in the first two weeks). It produces detailed responses across just about any topic you care to ask it.
Now, I’m no expert – and can honestly say that I’ve only been watching some of this ‘AI stuff’ with half an eye over the last 18 months, but the speed in which ChatGPT has taken off has completely blown me away.
ChatGPT could be used for social media content, reports, computer code, presentation outlines and more – and has educators concerned about its impact on student essays and legal opinions. There is clearly something in the hype – Microsoft is reportedly investing US$10bn into this platform.
Some of the more interesting stories I’ve read are:
- RNZ: ChatGPT appears to pass medical school exams
- Forbes: Microsoft Reportedly Closing in on $10 Billion Investment in ChatGPT
- The Spectator: AI is the end of writing
Its current version (3) has 175 billion parameters (data variables) to draw on and can create original 400-word novels in a minute, and an 80,000 academic paper in seconds. Version 4, coming soon, has 100 TRILLION parameters.
A glaring problem is the fact that it’s creating something that relies solely on what information is already out in the internet – bias , misinformation and all (thank you to the fabulous Catherine Arrow, PRINZ fellow and Communications Strategist, for her insightful discussion on this topic – read more about it here).
So, what I’m going to say from my comfy office chair (no throne here) is that my prediction for 2023 is that we will see greater technological change than what’s occurred in the last three years combined (God-forbid no more lockdowns).
Hang on to your horses, ‘tis the season of change and it’s going to be quite the ride.