ChatGPT: Friend or Foe?

Open AI’s new chatbot ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. Powered by machine learning and vast amounts of data, it interacts with users in an incredibly realistic way. More than 100+ use cases can be built on this technology, including conversations, language translations, sentiment analysis, entity recognition, keyword extraction, spell/grammar check, generate text, text classification, and much more. Despite such advanced capabilities, the chatbot has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. From spreading misinformation and generating inappropriate responses to perpetuating harmful stereotypes, bias in the training data, and the potential perpetuation of bias in AI-generated responses, it has been a tumultuous journey for OpenAI’s popular bot.

Widespread use of ChatGPT seems inevitable, but in its current avatar, it could equally be a friend or foe to society.Shyla Kumar Thadikamala, Sr. Director – Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence at Cyient, shares his opinion on the twin faces of ChatGPT.

Q. Do you think ChatGPT is a friend or foe?

Like two sides of a coin, ChatGPT can be a friend to some and a foe to others. Here’s how different users benefit from this powerful tool:

• Businesses: ChatGPT can be used by businesses and organizations to provide customer service and support, automate tasks, and handle high volumes of user inquiries.
• Individuals: ChatGPT can provide personalized recommendations and support, as in the case of virtual assistants.
• Researchers: As a generative algorithm, researchers can use ChatGPT to generate large amounts of text data for analysis.
• Developers: Developers can use ChatGPT to increase productivity and improve the quality of conversational interfaces.

However, like other AI-generated models, ChatGPT has some limitations in terms of its results and usage.

• Software developers: ChatGPT is a generative algorithm that can generate software code with a certain degree of accuracy and completeness; however, developers with limited knowledge may risk losing their jobs.
• Customer service and support staff: As ChatGPT and other AI language models are used more widely in customer service and support, the need for human staff in these roles may reduce, potentially leading to job losses.
• Individuals who rely on human interaction: Some individuals may prefer or require human interaction for certain types of support or communication and may not be comfortable or satisfied with the responses generated by AI language models.
• Individuals who are not proficient in English: ChatGPT and other AI language models may not be able to effectively communicate with individuals who do not speak English, as they are often trained on English-language data.
• Society: The widespread use of AI language models like ChatGPT could contribute to the normalizing of AI-generated content and reduce the importance of human creativity and intuition, which may have broader cultural implications.

Q. Will it affect jobs? And can it replace humans?

As an artificial intelligence language model, ChatGPT is a tool that can perform various tasks, including generating text, answering questions, etc. While using ChatGPT can lead to increased efficiency and productivity in some areas, it can also impact employment and the job market.

AI technology can automate certain tasks that were previously performed by humans, potentially leading to job losses in those areas. However, it can also create new job opportunities in areas such as data analysis, machine learning, and AI development. Additionally, AI technology can be used to enhance human capabilities, leading to greater productivity and job growth.

It's important to note that the impact of AI on jobs will depend on various factors, such as the level of automation possible in a particular industry, the availability of skilled workers, and the overall economic environment. Overall, while AI technology like ChatGPT can affect the job market, it can also create new opportunities and enhance human productivity.

In my opinion, artificial intelligence helps augment human intelligence rather than replace the human element. While it will make some jobs redundant, it will definitely improve productivity.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

There are several advantages of using ChatGPT.

• Efficiency: ChatGPT can quickly generate responses to a wide variety of questions and topics, allowing for fast and efficient communication.
• 24/7 availability: ChatGPT can be accessed and used anytime, providing continuous support and service.
• Scalability: ChatGPT can handle a large volume of conversations simultaneously, making it an ideal tool for businesses and organizations with high customer or user demand.
• Personalization: ChatGPT can be trained to recognize and respond to specific user preferences and needs, providing a more personalized experience for users.
• Reduced costs: ChatGPT can be used to automate certain tasks, reducing the need for human resources and potentially lowering costs.
• Consistency: ChatGPT generates consistent responses in tone and style, ensuring a cohesive brand or user experience.

As with any technology, there are potential disadvantages to using ChatGPT too.

• Lack of emotional intelligence: While ChatGPT can generate responses that appear human-like, it lacks true emotional intelligence and may not be able to understand the nuances of human communication fully. This can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication.
• Bias in training data: The training data used to train ChatGPT can contain biases, which can be reflected in the model's responses. This can perpetuate existing societal biases and discrimination.
• Security concerns: ChatGPT and other AI models can be vulnerable to cyberattacks, which could compromise user data and privacy.
• Over-dependence on technology: Too much reliance on ChatGPT for communication and decision-making can adversely affect the ability to communicate and problem-solve independently.
• Misuse of technology: ChatGPT and other AI models can be used for harmful purposes, such as spreading misinformation or creating deep fakes.

It's important to note that these potential disadvantages can be mitigated through the responsible use of ChatGPT and other AI models, such as ensuring unbiased training data and using appropriate security measures.

About the author

Shyla Kumar Thadikamala (Shyla) has 20+ years of experience in the field of IT under several domains such as Manufacturing, Banking, Insurance, and Smart Cities. He holds BE, MBA, CBA, and FRM credentials and is also pursuing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. His areas of interest include, building end-to-end Data & AI-based platforms, which are based on Data, Statistics, Natural Language processing, Video/Image Analytics, Operational Research, and Reinforcement Learning across multiple industries.