What is ChatGPT?
Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an innovative artificial intelligence chatbot based on the open-source GPT-3 natural language processing (NLP) model.
This innovative chatbot understands what users say, anticipates their needs, and responds accurately. It even interacts conversationally. So, users feel like they are talking to a real person. It is a subscription service for $20/month. You can sign up for it here.
ChatGPT was released in November 2022. By January 2023, there were 100,000,000 users. Anything with a trajectory like this creates both fascination about what it can do but questions on how it will be used. Many companies use chatbot development services to create a bot, based on ChatGPT.
Here are 20 good, bad and ugly facts about ChatGPT.
The Good: Big companies are already using ChatGPT for business building
- First of all, a tech giant is at the helm. Microsoft has a 49% stake in OpenAI. Secondly, only 2% of the company will be owned by its nonprofit parent company. As a result, all other investors will share the remaining 49%.
- Snapchat rolled out a new AI feature called My AI on Snapchat+. 2.5 million subscribed can ask the AI chatbot prompts ranging from dinner recipes to plans for a weekend trip.
- Quizlet, a free website providing studying tools, rolled out a new feature called Q-Chat. Moreover, it functions as a one-on-one tutor built on OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology.
- Instacart, a grocery delivery and pick-up service, will incorporate ChatGPT into its app called “Ask Instacart.” Rolling out later this year, it gives users answers to open-ended food questions from recipe tips to ingredient alternatives. Moreover, It pulls data from Instacart’s 1.5 million products sold through 75,000 grocery stores.
- Shopify will use ChatGPT AI to power its new shopping assistant. Customers with search inquiries will get personal recommendations based on the user’s requests.
- Speak, a language learning app, has partnered with OpenAI, using its speech-to-text API Whisper. Furthermore, it’s a new AI speaking companion product that provides users with real-time feedback when learning a new language.
The Bad: Employers are nervous about how their employees will use it
- 70% of employees who are using ChatGPT at work haven’t told their bosses about it a Fishbowl survey last month found.
- 2.3% of workers have put confidential company information into ChatGPT, according to a recent report from Cyberhaven.
- Walmart and Amazon have both reportedly warned employees not to share confidential information in the chatbot.
- Furthermore, an Amazon corporate lawyer told employees the company has already seen instances of ChatGPT responses that are similar to internal Amazon data, according to Insider.
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Verizon have reportedly blocked employee access to the online tool.
- Meanwhile, OpenAI changed its terms of service last week to limit user inputs by default amid growing concerns about privacy risks.
The Ugly: Research warns of malicious use
- 51% of IT decision-makers believe a successful cyberattack will be credited to ChatGPT within the year according to research released by BlackBerry,
- That’s because 71% of those surveyed figure that nation-state actors are already using the technology for “malicious” purposes.
- Furthermore, 53% of people said it would help hackers create more believable phishing emails.
- Moreover, 49% of respondents pointed to its ability to help hackers improve their coding abilities.
- As a result, 48% of those surveyed think it could be used to craft entirely new malware strains.
- 46% of respondents said ChatGPT could help improve existing attacks.
- This research also revealed that 95% believe governments are responsible for regulating advanced technologies.
ChatGPT may be a chatbot like never before. But is that a good thing or a bad thing? What do you think?
Rob – Great post – but many of the sources you quote might be overstating the effects. They said the same thing with computers, the internet, bitcoin, etc. – the pendulum swings far to one side: great invention! then to the other: bad actors! and then to somewhere in the middle. It’s a tool like a calculator or a laptop that will help me solve a problem. I actually encourage clients to use it to write cover letters! I used it this morning to help me come up with a few future topics for my podcast.
Thanks, Rich. Appreciate the input. I agree that, like the other examples you mention, all offer significant advantages to those that use them as a tool to improve what they do. And to do it more effectively and efficiently. It’s both good the good actors will take advantage and bad the bad actors will do. I look forward to things settling in the middle, hopefully in the near term. Thanks again.