ChatGPT: Accelerated Learning, or Accelerated Laziness?
TL;DR AI can either help advance us, or lead us into a sci-fi dystopian dark age
(TL;DR = 'Too Long; Didn't Read')
AI: Augment My Intelligence!
At the risk of over-simplifying, there are roughly 2 camps currently around AI (specifically ChatGPT):
- Be afraid - our robot overlords are here to rule us.
- Wow - look what I can do mom!
Although this article is in camp #2, the first camp has a point. We often overlook the dangers of new technologies until it's too late. Still, I have hope that AI has a chance of moving us forward.
Building a Proof Of Concept
Using ChatGPT, I developed a proof of concept called 'briefme.cc' that summarizes long emails into a short TL;DR. To use it, I simply forward the email to [email protected]
What's particularly exciting is that during the development process, whenever I needed to learn how to implement something like Redis or SendGrid, ChatGPT was readily available to offer its expertise.
An Expert That Listens
Previously, I hesitated to ask friends about complex concepts and relied on Google to find specific information, which often required a carefully crafted search query.
However, with ChatGPT, I discovered an engaging conversation that helps clarify and explain concepts while also allowing me to point out inaccuracies. Although the adage 'garbage in, garbage out' applies, I've found that correcting ChatGPT's errors has helped me identify my own incorrect assumptions and learn in the process. Overall, chatting with ChatGPT has provided a more human experience of getting answers and learning simultaneously.
Accelerated Learning
After completing my code, I decided to seek suggestions from ChatGPT. I was excited about the experience for two reasons: first, I was amazed by the speed at which I was able to build the proof of concept. Second, I was even more thrilled by the amount of learning that was taking place at a personalized pace.
ChatGPT provided a personalized learning experience, allowing me to absorb new concepts, techniques, and best practices comfortably. This accelerated learning experience allowed me to improve my skills in a shorter period of time
The Catch
While using ChatGPT for accelerated learning, I noticed two risks:
Firstly, learning too quickly can lead to forgetting just as fast. To counteract this, I made sure to slow down at the end of each day and review my code while journaling my learning. This helped me understand the rationale behind my decisions, making it easier to review my work in the future.
Secondly, using ChatGPT for code reviews can blur the line between learning and copying code. While it provides proficient code writing, its suggestions may lead to new code or methods being added without a full understanding. Reading the explanations is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the code and prevent a superficial learning experience when using ChatGPT for code reviews.
Conclusion
Overall, I'm quite enthusiastic about ChatGPT. If you haven't already, sign up for an account and give it a try. For developers, it's an exceptional learning tool. There's no need to comprehend AI's inner workings, just like you don't need to know every detail of your car's mechanics.
However, extending the metaphor, even a self-driving car needs a destination. As remarkable as AI is, we must stay in the driver's seat. By remaining engaged, asking questions, and being mindful of our learning journey, we can harness AI's potential without jeopardizing our understanding and the future of our society (seriously, watch Idiocracy).
With that said, I am really curious to hear about your experiences with ChatGPT, and your thoughts (please comment below).
Special thanks to Andrew De Bona, David Yoshida and Sheldon Christian ... for helping with this PoC (and others...coming soon!)
Senior Product Manager | Product Leadership
1 年Troy Daniel, thanks for sharing this article about your experiences with ChatGPT. My wife and I have become frequent users of it. Here are a couple of recent examples (e.g. recommending the correct type of diet for a person with diabetes; understanding the technical jargon of an x-ray report.) I have also found that it can help accelerate learning; however, as you pointed out, there is an onus on the user to exercise some caution that if you want to learn something new, it still takes hard work... But with ChatGPT, you might get there faster, which in my mind is perhaps one of the primary outcomes of AI.?