What happens when ChatGPT goes wrong, and more, this week in tech

We all have off days - sometimes you're just not at the top of your game - after all, we're only human. But what about those of us that aren't human? Can a computer have a bad day? Apparently yes, if the most recent ChatGPT story is anything to go by.

This week saw multiple users report that ChatGPT had started to lose the plot , serving up nonsensical responses, some of which were downright creepy.? ?

From the bizarre but fairly mild responses it gave one user in Spanglish, a mix of Spanish and English, to the more unsettling message "I am in the room with you right now lol" another user received, it's fair to say that ChatGPT was not having a good day.

In a statement, OpenAI said it had identified a bug and rolled out a fix.

However, anyone who has seen 2001: A Space Odyssey might already be reaching for the plug, memories of ship computer Hal's crazed rampage coming back to them.

While ChatGPT is unlikely to jettison us all into space like Hal, it does serve as a stark reminder that technology is fallible, and that while we're building AI into every facet of business today, it will occasionally let us down. It's an eventuality every business needs to be prepared for, as it's almost guaranteed to happen at some point.?

For some, it already has. This month, Air Canada lost a court case after its chatbot lied to a customer about the company's bereavement policy. In August of last year, a meal planning app from Pak ‘n’ Save suggested such delicacies to its users as glue sandwiches, a rice dish with bleach, and bug spray potatoes.

Maybe we can use AI to generate the inevitable corporate apology messages, too? Although if it's having an off day, maybe we should just rely on a good old fashioned human response.?

Jack Turner (certified human)

Tech.co Deputy Editor

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