ChatGPT we need to talk

ChatGPT we need to talk

Author: Andreas Rossbach

ChatGPT changes lives, work and education. This offers opportunities – but also risks. In an open letter, a group of prominent entrepreneurs, researchers and intellectuals call for a pause in the development of AI systems like ChatGPT. Do we need a break?

At the end of November last year, the manufacturer launches Open AI Chat-GPT. Only a few months later, in March 2023, Open AI is already launching a successor model, GPT-4, which can also handle images and answers test questions in all possible areas just as well as expert humans. Competitors like Google or Baidu are under pressure to show what their AI systems can do. Developers in startups and corporations are in a global race to create the most impressive software.

In the midst of this race, a group of entrepreneurs, researchers and intellectuals are now calling for a pause in an open letter. This open letter argues that it takes time to respond reasonably to AI as a society. AI systems come with great risks; AI labs have developed systems that even their developers could not understand, predict, and reliably control. That’s why AI labs and independent experts need to develop security protocols. The signatories stress that this pause should not stop all innovation in AI, on the contrary. But instead of developing models with more and more computing power, like Open AI with GPT-4, he said, research should look at making current systems safer, more accurate, more transparent, and more robust.

Among experts on the net, the open letter is discussed with divided opinions. Many support the basic idea that rules are needed for AI. It is disputed whether a pause in development is the right way to do this. That could give those who don’t comply an unfair advantage, according to a common argument. Overall, many experts seem to agree that the current developments are uncanny in their speed. What exactly is threatening now, whether mass unemployment, discrimination, concentration of power, disinformation or an independent AI that makes humans obsolete, experts estimate very differently.

The author asked ChatGPT if we need a break from ChatGPT and got the following answer: “If you feel that you need a break from ChatGPT, then you should definitely give yourself one. It is important to take care of your own well-being and make sure that you have enough time to rest and relax. If you feel overwhelmed or that you are spending too much time on ChatGPT, you can try to focus on other activities that you enjoy or take a break from technology by going for a walk or reading, for example. However, if you have any questions or concerns, I as ChatGPT am always happy to help.” The author then stands up and drinks a glass of water, thinking to himself that it’s not so much a question of whether we need a break from ChatGPT and AI, but rather the question of the right ethical guidelines, the right form of regulation and the best way to develop AI tools. One thing is certain: We will need some more discussions.