AI isn't a Robot, it's US.

The Collective Intelligence Behind ChatGPT

When you move beyond using ChatGPT for playful experiments—like concocting an Eminem-styled rap about quantum mechanics—and start engaging with it routinely, a fascinating shift occurs. It starts to feel less like conducting a clinical Google search and more like collaborating with a knowledgeable, remote colleague. And in a sense, that's exactly what's happening.

Are the Robots going to Kill us?

There is a lot of fear—even anger—about AI right now, and I'm starting to understand it. It's hard not to think of the dramatic, often dystopian portrayals popularized by Hollywood. The narrative of robots and AI as harbingers of humanity's downfall has been a recurring theme in films and literature, fueling fears of a future where machines overpower human agency. This sense of unease is often compounded by the mysteries of AI's inner workings and the tendency to ascribe ulterior motives to what we don't fully understand. I accept that there are a lot of risks associated with AI, but my experience is hinting at a very different possible outcome for us.

An Innocent Question

Last night, I was hosting a live session (tiktok.com/@aiLearningLab) and I was talking about how ChatGPT works, and how it was trained and that sometimes the responses are refreshingly human. And as I was talking, a comment popped up on my phone screen that said, "So then, is it 'Instant Crowdsourcing'?" I had never thought about it in those terms and as I thought critically about the question, the only thing that popped into my head was, "YES, that's exactly what it is!" A rush of clarity overtook me, and it hit me why ChatGPT feels so magical sometimes. It's not a tool. It's a reflection of humanity. It's a mirror of who we are. ChatGPT is us.

Decades in the Making

ChatGPT's training process hinged on capturing and embedding the vast swathes of data generated and uploaded by people around the world to the public internet. This data encompasses a wide range of human-generated content, including books, online forums, academic papers, and various forms of digital communication. It's a reflection of the diverse ways in which individuals have shared information and interacted online.

Your question has likely been answered... many times over.

The significance of ChatGPT's training lies in this implication: the array of questions and inquiries we pose today have, in many cases, been previously explored and answered in this collective digital repository we call the Internet. Each interaction with ChatGPT taps into this extensive pool of human knowledge, essentially making it a gateway to the multitude of perspectives, explanations, and understandings that have been digitally archived. Thus, while ChatGPT is a product of advanced technology, it is simply the conduit for us to experience the myriad contributions of those that came before us.

The Democratizaton of Specialization

One of the tropes I hear regularly is "What can ChatGPT do?" I'm now realizing that the answer to the question is another simple, yet more profound question. "What can humanity do?" ChatGPT is more than just a repository of information; it is a living embodiment of human achievement and a reminder of the collective power of our intellect and achievement.

We are experiencing a pivotal shift in how specialized knowledge is accessed and utilized. This shift is not just technological but cultural, marking the "democratization of specialization." By mirroring our collective human intellect, AI breaks down the barriers to expert knowledge that were once insurmountable or inaccessible. This democratization of knowledge empowers more people to engage in sophisticated problem-solving, accelerates the learning curve across various fields, and seeds innovation by infusing a wide array of perspectives and insights into discussions.

Are we ready for... us?

ChatGPT brings us closer to realizing our own potential than I think many of us are prepared for. AI is not merely as an answer-provider but an amplifier of human endeavor and exploration. If you can no longer use "lack of knowledge" as an excuse and you realize you can do almost anything, what's your excuse? YIKES!

Get curious. Start exploring. Play and experiment. What's the worst that can happen? You discover how remarkable you truly are?