ChatGPT: The Rapid Dawn of Tech’s New Era
By Ingrid Schifer

Over the holidays, you may have heard of, or come across content that speaks about the latest buzz: ChatGPT.

But what is ChatGPT exactly and what impact can we expect this bleeding-edge technology to have on our lives?

ChatGPT is an NLP model (Natural Language Processing), and was developed by Open AI. The GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer and it happens in Chat format.

The technology has been pre-trained with data sets or bulk knowledge, dating up until 2021, which may at first glance, seem limiting. However, this is the inaugural opportunity the world has had to play with ChatGPT. As newer versions are released, one can only imagine the veracity of exponential improvements it will offer.

ChatGPT offers an easy-to-use and very unassuming chat format, in which a human can ask any question, and be granted a fairly accurate, comprehensible response in almost no time.

From simple questions like “what color is the sky?” to more intense queries like, “Based on 2019 data, which were the 10 best performing technology companies in North America?”, the replies are dished out rapidly, literally in a matter of seconds.

As the general populace enjoys quizzing this database of seemingly endless knowledge, the tech world is dealing with blown minds as they come to terms with the boundlessness of it all. ChatGPT can write code in under a minute, and it works! ChatGPT can formulate a healthy meal plan based on your own personal dietary restrictions or suggest 100 potential pet names, in just seconds. It can complete research, compile resources, extract quotes, brainstorm ideas, generate options and essentially compute calculations for anything you throw at it.

So how long until this technology does away with the brainiest of professions in our society? How long until artificial intelligence starts writing contracts, leases, software programs, advertising copy or movie scripts instead of humans? The process is in motion.

To ensure you are not filed away under “unnecessary human”, it is critical to delve into ChatGPT and truly understand the vast capabilities this technology offers. It is also vital to understand your role as a human, is irreplaceable. 

You see, at some point, ChatGPT was programmed, with a seemingly infinite (but not actually) amount of data selected for it to learn and utilize when computing responses.

Ethical dilemmas will always exist and it is only with human-powered discernment and an active moral compass that we can proceed to find best solutions in our modern society. So ultimately, in understanding how to harness the power of this new engine, you will inevitably find yourself becoming comfortable driving it. Those who understand how to use it best, will remain valuable, bridging the gap between the old way and the new. 

Remember when cell phones started becoming popular? When it went from analog bag phones to sleek Nokia non-flips? How about when you first started hearing about Facebook?

This is like those momentous crescendos in the evolution of technology. This is your sign, your wake-up call; this is going to be a big deal. Now get in front of it.

Not sure where to start? Try using it for free! Maybe ask ChatGPT to create a lesson plan for you to Learn ChatGPT as a Beginner. 

Let me know how your journey goes!