What is ChatGPT? Understanding the Basics

ChatGPT has become a household name, corporate buzzword, and something that is generating quite a buzz around the world.

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A language model AI designed to produce human-like text and converse with people, it has transformed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday lives by introducing a wealth of easily deployed knowledge that consumers can access with a few single prompts. It has also created a wave of curiosity about the integration of AI into other aspects of work, studies, and common practices.

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What is ChatGPT?

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Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a free chatbot that uses a language-based model to answer questions, respond to queries, and transfer knowledge to users. It employs machine learning to gather knowledge from users—meaning the more people that use it, the greater its ability becomes to provide data.

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ChatGPT launched in late 2022 to early fanfare. Many people were surprised by the depth of detail the model could give them and began using its services for a wide range of tasks, including recipe development, plot ideas for creative writing, and generating code for the back-end of websites and other operations.

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How does ChatGPT work?

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Unlike other AI applications, ChatGPT relies on language prompts from users. It has been designed to engage with users in a conversational way. This means that it can answer questions from users, but it can also self-correct when it doesn’t provide the data being sought, it can screen inappropriate, vulgar, and illegal questions, and it can challenge assumptions in the prompts it is given.

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Many users will find that their conversations with ChatGPT become increasingly rewarding and fruitful the more they interact with the system. The more detailed and specific queries are, the better the responses become. This is a function of both machine and human learning. As we understand how best to communicate with ChatGPT, the platform becomes better at understanding what we want to know.

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Are there issues with ChatGPT?

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The introduction of new technology—especially one with as broad and versatile an application as ChatGPT—often prompts discussion about fair use and professional integrity. Some countries—including North Korea, Syria, Cuba, China, and Iran—have placed bans on its entry into their internet channels. Italy was the first and only European country to do the same over data privacy concerns but it has since lifted the ban.

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Independent commentators, academic directors, and industry insiders have also expressed concerns about sentient AI, plagiarism, data breaches, intellectual property rights, and misleading or incorrect information. This is an ongoing conversation in many circles and will continue to evolve.

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What next for ChatGPT?

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The wild and ongoing success of ChatGPT has led to a widespread interest in integrating AI technology into other platforms, such as search engines, social media, gaming and virtual reality systems. ChatGPT will launch a new iteration of the conversational platform within the year.

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It’s likely that new regulations and guidelines for use will also appear within schools, workplaces, and any other spaces where ChatGPT and other AI has been adopted. Like machine learning itself, our cultural, educational, and social systems now have reason to adapt to the current questions being asked of them.

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About the Author

Dean Stancevski is a Senior IT Consultant and the founder of DS Technology Consulting Services, offering on-site and remote technical IT services to private and public organisations. A creative problem solver, Dean specialises in helping small- and medium-sized organisations grow by providing customised services to streamline IT systems and operations.