Media: Lianhe Zaobao
In our daily lives, we all come across numerous applications of artificial intelligence (AI): from automated customer service in banks and voice-controlled functions on our phones to content delivery on social media – all involving the realm of AI. As AI gradually becomes part of our lives, it may not necessarily always improve them, but it certainly brings about significant changes.
Recently, OpenAI introduced the ChatGPT language model, causing a stir in the global tech and media industries. People rushed to test it out. ChatGPT is the next-generation chatbot, capable of providing rapid and accurate responses based on the fluency and naturalness of human language. The advantages of ChatGPT lie in its ability to quickly address various human queries, especially in code completion and text writing, with simplicity and convenience in operation. The imaginations of AI in the entertainment industry from years past are becoming increasingly real.
Firstly, ChatGPT possesses powerful language understanding capabilities. It automatically searches a knowledge base and provides relevant information based on user queries. For example, if a user asks ChatGPT "What is artificial intelligence?" it will respond: "Artificial intelligence refers to the intelligence created artificially, achieved through computer programs."
Moreover, ChatGPT has quick response capabilities. It can rapidly respond to user queries, thus improving efficiency. Its response time is faster than that of humans, saving valuable time. For instance, if a user asks ChatGPT
"Can you chat with me?" it will immediately respond,
"Of course, I'm happy to communicate with you."
Additionally, ChatGPT offers a good user experience with a clear and user-friendly interface.
Any technological transformation requires adjustment and adaptation, both from industry players and the general public.
In the industry, one might recall the incident with the Chatbot Ask Jamie on the Ministry of Health website in 2021, providing incorrect advice on sexual matters when asked about COVID-19. Similar challenges may be faced by chatbots within various government websites under the Whole of Government (WOG). Since AI needs to be "trained" to "learn" human language and understand various ways questions might be posed, issues can arise in government agency websites or databases when searching for the most relevant answers.
The much-acclaimed ChatGPT also acknowledges similar limitations. Industries testing and utilizing this technology for customer service responses or integrating it with other applications, such as AI drawing or programming, must be prepared to monitor for errors, have contingency plans, and remediation solutions in place.
On the public front, the challenge is to democratize the capabilities of technology effectively. Thirty years ago, learning to use a mobile phone was a threshold. Over a decade ago, citizens began to understand smartphones as a milestone. Similarly, two decades ago, mastering search engines to find answers was a threshold. Now, we may be at a milestone where the public needs to grasp and utilize AI chatbots to tackle more advanced and complex problems.
Those who lag behind may regress to a primitive state. Importantly, the public needs to be aware that many job tasks will be directly replaced. Current seemingly high-knowledge professional jobs may disappear without adaptation, including all tasks related to writing and contextual thinking, such as journalists, writers, financial report writers, and more.
The technology itself, relying heavily on data during training, introduces biases that deepen issues like discrimination and raises questions about drawing ethical boundaries for answers. Before businesses relying on upgraded chatbot technology evolve further, local society urgently needs more awareness, preparation, and discussion
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