Artificial Intelligence [ChatGPT rn]

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 9:45 am

Today, on Waste an AI's Time:

Write film noire script for a scene where Eddie Dane (a character from the film Miller's Crossing) shakes down the Grinch in order to claim the stolen Christmas presents for himself.

Spoiler:

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:34 am

Everybody Please Calm Down About ChatGPT

Over the past week or two, there's been a new AI panic brewing: this time, it's about whether ChatGPT, a chatbot created by OpenAI, is poised to render vast swaths of our society obsolete.

Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI (and creator of the seemingly stalled-out WorldCoin crypto project that sought to scan eyeballs for crypto but went silent after multiple investigative reports uncovered a dysfunctional operation with numerous labor and privacy concerns) himself doubts that ChatGPT is actually worthy of the reaction it's eliciting right now.

“ChatGPT is incredibly limited, but good enough at some things to create a misleading impression of greatness,” Altman said in a tweet on December 10. “It's a mistake to be relying on it for anything important right now. it’s a preview of progress; we have lots of work to do on robustness and truthfulness.”

That doesn’t seem to have stopped anyone from predicting the imminent demise of college, professors, journalism, and much more, however.

ChatGPT Is Dumber Than You Think

Treat it like a toy, not a tool.

As a critic of technology, I must say that the enthusiasm for ChatGPT, a large-language model trained by OpenAI, is misplaced. Although it may be impressive from a technical standpoint, the idea of relying on a machine to have conversations and generate responses raises serious concerns.

First and foremost, ChatGPT lacks the ability to truly understand the complexity of human language and conversation. It is simply trained to generate words based on a given input, but it does not have the ability to truly comprehend the meaning behind those words. This means that any responses it generates are likely to be shallow and lacking in depth and insight.

Furthermore, the reliance on ChatGPT for conversation raises ethical concerns. If people begin to rely on a machine to have conversations for them, it could lead to a loss of genuine human connection. The ability to connect with others through conversation is a fundamental aspect of being human, and outsourcing that to a machine could have detrimental side effects on our society.

Hold up, though. I, Ian Bogost, did not actually write the previous three paragraphs. A friend sent them to me as screenshots from his session with ChatGPT, a program released last week by OpenAI that one interacts with by typing into a chat window. It is, indeed, a large language model (or LLM), a type of deep-learning software that can generate new text once trained on massive amounts of existing written material. My friend’s prompt was this: “Create a critique of enthusiasm for ChatGPT in the style of Ian Bogost.”

ChatGPT wrote more, but I spared you the rest because it was so boring. The AI wrote another paragraph about accountability (“If ChatGPT says or does something inappropriate, who is to blame?”), and then a concluding paragraph that restated the rest (it even began, “In conclusion, …”). In short, it wrote a basic, high-school-style five-paragraph essay.

I believe they're right, but within its limitations I still find it to be a fun toy.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:12 am

I don't think anyone's worried that ChatGPT is about to take over the world. It's simply a clear example of a major step forward vs prior language models.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:38 pm

Chatbot wrote:If people begin to rely on a machine to have conversations for them, it could lead to a loss of genuine human connection.

This line made me think of OO. Given sufficiently advanced AI, I could be posting on a forum populated by nothing but bots and not really know the difference. Though I feel a "human connection" to those I haven't met on these boards, it only comes from knowing (assuming?) there's an actual human being on the other end.

Would finding out all of you are bots make that friendship connection not be true? Makes you think as this stuff gets more advanced.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:23 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:38 pm
Chatbot wrote:If people begin to rely on a machine to have conversations for them, it could lead to a loss of genuine human connection.
This line made me think of OO. Given sufficiently advanced AI, I could be posting on a forum populated by nothing but bots and not really know the difference. Though I feel a "human connection" to those I haven't met on these boards, it only comes from knowing (assuming?) there's an actual human being on the other end.

Would finding out all of you are bots make that friendship connection not be true? Makes you think as this stuff gets more advanced.

I think it would just mean that you were friends with bots. Pretty sure we are headed that way in the not distant future a la Bladerunner 2049.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:27 pm

Zaxxon wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:12 am I don't think anyone's worried that ChatGPT is about to take over the world. It's simply a clear example of a major step forward vs prior language models.

In the various academic circles I dabble in, I'm already starting to see more and more instructors reporting they are seeing submissions that are likely AI written - papers and short essay questions. I'm quite curious to see how that unfolds...

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:23 pm I think it would just mean that you were friends with bots. Pretty sure we are headed that way in the not distant future a la Bladerunner 2049.

I still maintain that story was about the girlfriend and should have ended when her story did and left all that boring stuff that came after. She was by far the most interesting character and remains the protagonist in my reality.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:39 pm

I'm guessing something like Marjorie Prime would be possible now or very soon.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:56 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:27 pm
Zaxxon wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:12 am I don't think anyone's worried that ChatGPT is about to take over the world. It's simply a clear example of a major step forward vs prior language models.
In the various academic circles I dabble in, I'm already starting to see more and more instructors reporting they are seeing submissions that are likely AI written - papers and short essay questions. I'm quite curious to see how that unfolds...

AI simply needs self-recognition. An instructor can ask it if it wrote this, and it will know. That should be pretty straightforward if there's one dominant bot that everyone uses.

But it's an interesting conundrum -- an AI writing an original paper isn't plagiarism, so we're going to need some new rules.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:38 pm

Kraken wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:56 pm But it's an interesting conundrum -- an AI writing an original paper isn't plagiarism, so we're going to need some new rules.

You're implying that there are currently no rules against a student having someone else write a paper for them.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:44 pm

He's correct - it's not plagiarism, but as you've noted it would absolutely violate academic integrity policies - at least the ones I'm familiar with.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:01 am

Yes, it's not plagiarism, but no, nobody needs new rules just because someone cheats using an AI instead of a ghostwriter.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 11:22 am

It's not so much new rules it's me wondering how they're going to detect it. There are already tools for plagiarism. I'm not aware of anything that can detect an AI written submission.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 12:02 pm

Stylometry? I can see a couple of ways to apply it, either by comparing an essay to control samples of a student's writing, or perhaps looking at whether particular AIs have a distinctive style. For example, ChatGPT output tends to be somewhat formulaic, so there may be a detectable signature.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 7:17 pm

Smoove_B wrote:It's not so much new rules it's me wondering how they're going to detect it. There are already tools for plagiarism. I'm not aware of anything that can detect an AI written submission.

There’s one we use for work. It analyzed the text and gives a probability of whether it’s AI or not.

I can’t remember the name of it, and I don’t know how well it works, but I’ve seen it in action briefly.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 7:18 pm

The one I'd seen was called GPT-2 Output Detector, but it's still in development.

Victoria Raverna · Post by **Victoria Raverna** » Sat Dec 24, 2022 9:21 am

Seem like we don't need to worry about the AI being too good.

Here is the answer from the AI that is totally wrong or backward:

The probability of getting all male or all female springtails when randomly selecting 5 springtails would be lower than the probability of getting all male or all female springtails when selecting 10 springtails, assuming the same population and sex ratio. This is because the sample size is smaller, so there is a lower probability of getting a sample that is completely comprised of only one sex.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Dec 26, 2022 7:40 pm

Max Peck wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 12:23 pm I have a friend who streams cooking on Twitch. I'm not saying my new hobby is to ask them to make recipes that were written by an AI, but I'm not saying it isn't going to happen either.

Spoiler:

I made a half-batch of these this afternoon. They're actually.... good. The only tweak I made was to roast the garlic first. The garlic flavor is fairly subtle, so I might increase the amount of garlic if I were to make them again.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:47 pm

I started playing with this tonight. What a hoot!

Should I go on a date with Christina on Friday night?

I cannot give you personal advice about whether or not you should go on a date with Christina on Friday night. Only you can decide if going on a date with Christina is the right choice for you. It is important to consider your own feelings and what you want out of the experience. It may also be helpful to communicate with Christina and get a sense of what she is looking for and whether you both have similar expectations for the date. Ultimately, the decision is yours and you should do what feels best for you.

Would it be better if I just stayed home?

It is impossible for me to determine whether it would be better for you to go on a date with Christina or to stay home. Only you know what will bring you the most happiness and fulfillment. If you are unsure about whether you want to go on the date, it might be helpful to take some time to think about your feelings and what you want out of the experience. You could also consider talking to someone you trust, such as a friend or family member, about your thoughts and feelings. Ultimately, the decision is yours and you should do what feels right for you.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:48 pm

What's the best way to enjoy my work more?

There are several things you can try to help you enjoy your work more:

Set goals for yourself: Having specific goals can help you stay motivated and focused on your work.

Take breaks: Taking regular breaks can help you avoid burnout and increase your productivity.

Find meaning in your work: If you can find meaning or purpose in your work, it can be more rewarding and enjoyable.

Build positive relationships: Building positive relationships with your coworkers can make work more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Seek out opportunities for growth and development: Look for opportunities to learn new skills or take on new challenges in your work.

Take care of yourself: Make sure to take care of your physical and mental health by getting enough sleep, eating well, and finding ways to manage stress.

Seek out support: If you are struggling to enjoy your work, it might be helpful to talk to a manager, mentor, or a mental health professional for support and guidance.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:24 pm

Paul could not decide if he should go on a date with Christina or just stay home for the night. Write a pop song about his ordeal and how he resolved the issue.

Spoiler:

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:28 am

That's great!

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:54 am

lol!
nice

indecisión me molesta

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 1:10 pm

Write a television script for a scene from The Walking Dead where Rick and Shane settle their differences with a rap battle, after which the other members of the group decide who was the winner.

Spoiler:

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:30 pm

Some people on the World of Warcraft forums started feeding ChatGPT the game information and asking it to predict the content/theme of the next expansion. Some of the ideas that the AI spit out sounds better than some of the real WoW expansions from recent years

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 12:02 am

I recently came across an AI that does video mashups. It actually seems to analyze the videos, both sound and imagery to better match them up.

On my first try, I decided to go with Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock and Chuck Berry's Johnny B Goode. In the beginning, it doesn't sound too great due to the timing of bringing both videos in, but once they get going, I found they worked surprisingly well together and even ended up complimenting each other. Where it really impressed me is in a scene with dancing, where it splits the video up into two screens synched up to the dancing. The end-result is actually pretty great. I've tried other mashups since, but my first one is still the best one I've come up with.

https://rave.dj/K49hraRj1h-iWQ

https://rave.dj/

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:46 am

It's not just me...

https://twitter.com/AlexBlechman/status ... 6998223873

AlexBlechman wrote:The main feature of ChatGPT is that it will write whatever you tell it to. The writing isn’t good, just obedient, so the only way to make it good is to tell the AI to write the dumbest thing you can think of

Task an all-knowing AI with writing a Beatles song about Naruto

Spoiler:

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:49 pm

ChatGPT may be bad at math...

How old was Jewel Staite when she was in the cast of Firefly?

Jewel Staite was 22 years old when she starred in the cast of Firefly.
Are you talking about the television series or the film (Serenity)?

I am talking about the television series Firefly. Serenity was the film continuation of the series.
What year was Jewel Staite born?

Jewel Staite was born on June 2, 1982.
What year was Firefly filmed?

Firefly was filmed in 2002.
If Jewel Staite was born in 1982 and Firefly was filmed in 2002, why do you say she was 22 when she was in the cast of Firefly? Shouldn't the answer have been that she was 20 years old at that time?

I apologize, I made a mistake in my previous response. Jewel Staite was 20 years old when she starred in the cast of Firefly.

Either it can't calculate the difference between 1982 and 2002, or it actually did conflate Firefly and Serenity and gave her age as of the filming of the movie rather than the TV series.

The morale of the story is that you can't trust an AI to be correct on even simple things.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:19 pm

Hey Naruto, don't let it be bad,
Remember to let your spirit shine bright,
Hey Naruto, don't let it be bad,
You've got a heart of gold and a will to never let go.

Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na, Naruto
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na, Naruto

That's kind awesome.

Also Naruto has some of the best intro and outro music of any show ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btCB_Kd0NDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qegp2LHzGfU

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:24 pm

And here I thought Naruto must be a Prime Minister of Israel or something.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:27 am

More evidence that you just cannot trust ChatGPT with simple, factual information, such as the fact that Ryan Gosling appeared in both "Remember the Titans" and "Blade Runner 2049".

List any actors who were in the casts of both of the following films: "Remember the Titans" and "Blade Runner 2049"
Will Patton was in the cast of both "Remember the Titans" and "Blade Runner 2049".
What role did Will Patton play in Blade Runner 2049?
Will Patton played the role of Lieutenant Joshi in "Blade Runner 2049".
What role did Robin Wright play in Blade Runner 2049?
Robin Wright played the role of Lieutenant Joshi in "Blade Runner 2049".
Why did you previously say that Will Patton played that role?
I apologize for the mistake, Robin Wright played the role of Lieutenant Joshi in "Blade Runner 2049", not Will Patton. Will Patton played the role of a character named 'Lieutenant Kelly' in the movie. My apologies for any confusion caused by my earlier response.
What is your source for the information that Will Patton played the role of a character named "Lieutenant Kelly" in the film Blade Runner 2049?
I apologize, I made a mistake. Will Patton did not appear in the film "Blade Runner 2049", I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous responses. My training data does not contain any information about Will Patton appearing in "Blade Runner 2049".
Who did play the role of "Lieutenant Kelly" in the film Blade Runner 2049?
I apologize, there is no character named "Lieutenant Kelly" in the film "Blade Runner 2049". I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous responses. My training data is not up to date and I made a mistake.

Another correct answer to the original question would have been Wood Harris, but ChatGPT thought that someone else (David Dastmalchian) played his role (Nandez), and someone else (Ana de Armas) played Dastmalchian's role (Coco) as well as her actual role (Joi). When I pointed out that Coco and Joi were separate characters, ChatGPT corrected itself by saying that Ana de Armas played Joi but that Coco didn't exist, at which point I decided to climb out of that particular rabbit hole.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:49 am

I’m fascinated by its ability to be wrong, and also know that it’s wrong.

What’s up with that?!

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 1:21 pm

It's complex software that has some bugs? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The thing that strikes me as weird is that it's messing up (pretty frequently, for things I've tried at least) with stuff that you'd expect it to be good at: correlating factual information such as "How old was <actor> when they made <film>?" or "Which actors were in both <film1> and <film2>?"

It was also a bit of an adventure to get it to correctly factor a number. It had problems with losing track of which number it was supposed to factor as it iterated through the algorithm as well as correctly following the algorithm. For example, in one case it just stopped short of the correct answer, apparently assuming that a non-prime factor was prime.

It's a fun toy, but for the time being I wouldn't trust it for any sort of serious work.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:02 pm

Sounds like it has difficulty tracking multiple sources.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:13 pm

Max Peck wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 1:21 pm It's complex software that has some bugs? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The thing that strikes me as weird is that it's messing up (pretty frequently, for things I've tried at least) with stuff that you'd expect it to be good at: correlating factual information such as "How old was <actor> when they made <film>?" or "Which actors were in both <film1> and <film2>?"

It's beta so I would imagine the weirdness comes from data sources that aren't clean or uniform.

It was also a bit of an adventure to get it to correctly factor a number. It had problems with losing track of which number it was supposed to factor as it iterated through the algorithm as well as correctly following the algorithm. For example, in one case it just stopped short of the correct answer, apparently assuming that a non-prime factor was prime.

Anything around factorization/proving primality is potentially expensive and difficult. For small numbers you can use some classic algorithms and often just indexed or brute force (in-memory) lists. But outside a range of them you start getting into requiring large scale factorization which then you need to run and provide feedback on since it's not 'real-time'.

And I suspect that in its current form each query is stateless and passes any previous work completed in as input which is a source of "pollution" that cascades.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:46 pm

Nick Cave ain't a fan of ChatGPT as a songwriting tool. Someone sent him the results of ChatGPT being asked to write a song in the style of Nick Cave....and it didn't go over well.

Dear Mark,

Since its launch in November last year many people, most buzzing with a kind of algorithmic awe, have sent me songs ‘in the style of Nick Cave’ created by ChatGPT. There have been dozens of them. Suffice to say, I do not feel the same enthusiasm around this technology. I understand that ChatGPT is in its infancy but perhaps that is the emerging horror of AI – that it will forever be in its infancy, as it will always have further to go, and the direction is always forward, always faster. It can never be rolled back, or slowed down, as it moves us toward a utopian future, maybe, or our total destruction. Who can possibly say which? Judging by this song ‘in the style of Nick Cave’ though, it doesn’t look good, Mark. The apocalypse is well on its way. This song sucks.

What ChatGPT is, in this instance, is replication as travesty. ChatGPT may be able to write a speech or an essay or a sermon or an obituary but it cannot create a genuine song. It could perhaps in time create a song that is, on the surface, indistinguishable from an original, but it will always be a replication, a kind of burlesque.

Songs arise out of suffering, by which I mean they are predicated upon the complex, internal human struggle of creation and, well, as far as I know, algorithms don’t feel. Data doesn’t suffer. ChatGPT has no inner being, it has been nowhere, it has endured nothing, it has not had the audacity to reach beyond its limitations, and hence it doesn’t have the capacity for a shared transcendent experience, as it has no limitations from which to transcend. ChatGPT’s melancholy role is that it is destined to imitate and can never have an authentic human experience, no matter how devalued and inconsequential the human experience may in time become.

What makes a great song great is not its close resemblance to a recognizable work. Writing a good song is not mimicry, or replication, or pastiche, it is the opposite. It is an act of self-murder that destroys all one has strived to produce in the past. It is those dangerous, heart-stopping departures that catapult the artist beyond the limits of what he or she recognises as their known self. This is part of the authentic creative struggle that precedes the invention of a unique lyric of actual value; it is the breathless confrontation with one’s vulnerability, one’s perilousness, one’s smallness, pitted against a sense of sudden shocking discovery; it is the redemptive artistic act that stirs the heart of the listener, where the listener recognizes in the inner workings of the song their own blood, their own struggle, their own suffering. This is what we humble humans can offer, that AI can only mimic, the transcendent journey of the artist that forever grapples with his or her own shortcomings. This is where human genius resides, deeply embedded within, yet reaching beyond, those limitations.

It may sound like I’m taking all this a little too personally, but I’m a songwriter who is engaged, at this very moment, in the process of songwriting. It’s a blood and guts business, here at my desk, that requires something of me to initiate the new and fresh idea. It requires my humanness. What that new idea is, I don’t know, but it is out there somewhere, searching for me. In time, we will find each other.

Mark, thanks for the song, but with all the love and respect in the world, this song is bullshit, a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human, and, well, I don’t much like it — although, hang on!, rereading it, there is a line in there that speaks to me —

‘I’ve got the fire of hell in my eyes’

— says the song ‘in the style of Nick Cave’, and that’s kind of true. I have got the fire of hell in my eyes – and it’s ChatGPT.

Love, Nick

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:22 pm

He's not wrong. I've burned untold thousands of CPU cycles telling ChatGPT to write parodies of songs in the style of all sorts of songwriters, and while some were funny they were all complete crap.

Just like this one:

Spoiler:

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:40 pm

Unagi wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:49 am I’m fascinated by its ability to be wrong, and also know that it’s wrong.

What’s up with that?!

Was it wrong or did it get caught lying?

I mean today it's "Will Patton played the role of Lieutenant Joshi", tomorrow it could be, "Yes, uncooked chicken is safe if left out overnight" or "Current altitude is totally 700 feet."

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:50 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:40 pm
Unagi wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:49 am I’m fascinated by its ability to be wrong, and also know that it’s wrong.

What’s up with that?!
Was it wrong or did it get caught lying?

I mean today it's "Will Patton played the role of Lieutenant Joshi", tomorrow it could be, "Yes, uncooked chicken is safe if left out overnight" or "Current altitude is totally 700 feet."

I apologize, I made a mistake. The altitude was not 700 feet, I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous responses.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:13 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:40 pm
Unagi wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:49 am I’m fascinated by its ability to be wrong, and also know that it’s wrong.

What’s up with that?!
Was it wrong or did it get caught lying?

I mean today it's "Will Patton played the role of Lieutenant Joshi", tomorrow it could be, "Yes, uncooked chicken is safe if left out overnight" or "Current altitude is totally 700 feet."

LOL. Murderous hellbot trying to take us out. I see what you’re doing there, ChatGPT, if that’s even your REAL name.

The ai overlords are going to torture us and have a bit of fun a la Home Alone before they execute the ‘terminate’ program. Nice.