No: ‘AI is incapable of human cognition’
By Rachel Barber
Robots with artificial intelligence replacing humans: a classic science fiction trope. Recent technological advances have drawn humanity closer to that reality than ever before.
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, developed by the company OpenAI, that has exploded in popularity since launching in November 2022. Based on online information and details fed to ChatGPT by a user, the software can quickly write cover letters, resumes, essays, jokes, love songs, and solve math problems.
Still, AI is incapable of human cognition. ChatGPT’s ability to produce content relies on humans feeding it new information. If you don’t thoroughly explain your work history to ChatGPT, it will produce a cover letter so vague it’s unlikely you will be called in for an interview. By the time you punch in enough information to have the tool produce usable writing, you probably could have written it yourself.
AI plays favorites. ChatGPT is more biased than you’d think. The neutral robot content creator sounds nice, but it does not exist. Human writers are inherently biased, but we can work to combat our predispositions and identify them to our readers. AI does not believe transparency is important. It does not believe anything. You can tell an AI what to value, but those values mean nothing – they’re just as easily overridden by another request to forget them.
Cognitive scientist Steven Piantadosi uploaded a screenshot to Twitter documenting what happened when he asked ChatGPT to write a Python function to determine whether someone would be a good scientist. The software returned a function that factored in the candidates’ race and gender, and gave an advantage to “white” and “male” candidates. Since the tweet, OpenAI has updated the software to respond to the same prompt by encouraging the user to “consider and promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all aspects of life, including the field of science.”
We’ll see more stories like this as ChatGPT becomes more popular. AI bias will have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis, and consequently, will often go unchallenged. Large, uncurated datasets scraped from the internet are full of biased data that informs AI such as ChatGPT, and that model is not changing anytime soon.
There is no built-in system to fact-check the content ChatGPT produces. That remains a human responsibility. So far, ChatGPT manages to sound right, not be right. In a world of misinformation, trust is a commodity growing in value.
Would you trust a company that never communicated with you through a living person? Do you like the automated holding system when you call customer service, the robot that never seems to understand what you’re actually calling about? Now imagine that uncomfortable disconnect with everything. Every ad, every piece of copy, and every promotional email in your inbox.
People don’t read without reason. I read, in large part, to better understand the human experience — to connect with someone who took the time to put words on a page. I doubt AI will ever be able to contribute an original perspective. It doesn’t have a perspective. It has a prompt. I think writers are safe.
Still, emerging AI threatens many professions. Shutterstock AI generates images, VALL-E can recreate speakers’ voices, and Jasper.ai claims to boost companies’ efficiency by replacing human graphic designers. Of course, all of these tools still require source material from the same allegedly obsolete humans.
I’m reminded of Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Bear with me. Charlie’s father is laid off from his job screwing caps on toothpaste tubes because a robot can perform his job cheaply and more efficiently. The film’s “happy ending” is that Dad gets a new job … repairing the machine. In writing this column, I thought about this subplot often. Personally, when it comes to writing, art, and design, I’d rather just have someone screwing on the cap right the first time.
Yes: A chatbot states its case
By ChatGPT
(The following column, which ends in the middle of a sentence, is the verbatim result ChatGPT returned when given the prompt: Write a 650-word newspaper column about how artificial intelligence and ChatGPT will replace human workers.)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making waves across various industries, from healthcare to manufacturing, and its impact on the job market is undeniable. With the rise of advanced language models like ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, the landscape of employment is expected to undergo significant changes. As the capabilities of AI continue to improve, it is becoming increasingly clear that human workers may face challenges in the job market, as AI and ChatGPT are poised to replace some of their tasks and roles.
One of the areas where AI and ChatGPT are making rapid strides is in customer service and support. ChatGPT, with its ability to understand and generate human-like responses, can handle customer inquiries, complaints, and support tickets with ease. With advancements in natural language processing, AI-powered chatbots are becoming more sophisticated, able to provide personalized assistance and handle complex interactions. This could potentially lead to a reduction in the need for human customer service representatives, as companies may opt for AI-powered chatbots that can operate 24/7 without the need for breaks or time off.
Another sector that could see significant changes due to AI and ChatGPT is the transportation industry. Self-driving vehicles powered by AI have been in development for years, and we are now starting to see them on the roads in limited capacities. As the technology progresses, it is projected that self-driving vehicles could become mainstream, replacing human drivers in various transportation roles, such as taxi and truck drivers. This could have far-reaching implications for the millions of people who rely on these jobs for their livelihoods.
Even creative industries, which have traditionally been seen as less susceptible to automation, may not be immune to the impact of AI and ChatGPT. For instance, AI-powered content generation tools are becoming more sophisticated, capable of generating written content for news articles, reports, and marketing materials. ChatGPT, with its language generation capabilities, can assist in drafting emails, writing code, and even composing music. While these technologies are still in the early stages of development, they could disrupt traditional roles in creative fields, potentially affecting jobs in journalism, marketing, and other content-related professions.
The impact of AI and ChatGPT on the job market raises important questions about the future of work and the need for upskilling and reskilling to adapt to changing technologies. As automation takes over routine and repetitive tasks, there will likely be a growing demand for workers who possess skills that complement AI technologies. For example, jobs that require critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and creativity are likely to remain in demand as they involve complex decision-making and human interaction, which AI and ChatGPT still struggle to replicate.
However, the transition to an AI-powered workforce may not be seamless. There could be significant challenges, such as job displacement, income inequality, and a widening skills gap. Workers who are replaced by AI and ChatGPT may face difficulties in finding new employment opportunities, particularly if their skills are not easily transferable to other roles. This could result in economic and social disruptions, with potential impacts on livelihoods and communities.
To address these challenges, it is crucial for policymakers, businesses, and workers to proactively prepare for the changing job market. This includes investing in education and training programs to equip workers with the skills needed to work alongside AI technologies. Governments may need to implement policies such as universal basic income or job transition programs to support workers who are displaced by automation. Businesses need to consider ethical considerations and the social impact of adopting AI and ChatGPT in their operations, ensuring that workers are not left behind in the pursuit of technological advancements.
In conclusion, the rise of AI and ChatGPT has the potential to disrupt the job market, with the potential to replace human workers in various industries. From customer service to transportation and creative fields, the