What is ChatGPT?

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot from Open AI that made its public debut this week. And in just over a week it already has over a billion users. The chatbot is creating a lot of interest and a lot of concern.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT can provide human-like responses to questions and searches and more. It can teach users things, like how to cook a souffle, how to build a website, and a whole lot more.

ChatGPT can also write essays and poems that sound quite “human”.

ChatGPT is already generating a lot of controversy and it’s raising eyebrows as well as concern. Right now it’s in a very early incarnation called OpenAI calls a “free research preview”, but it’s already so advanced that some educators are worried that students will start using it to write essays, research papers, and do other kinds of homework.

We tried ChatGPT and found it quite amazing. I asked it to write an essay about Christmas and this was the essay it wrote:

Christmas is a holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world. It is a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is typically observed on December 25th. In many countries, Christmas is a time for families and friends to gather together and celebrate with traditional activities such as gift-giving, tree decorating, and special meals.

One of the most popular traditions associated with Christmas is the exchange of gifts. This practice is believed to have originated from the story of the three wise men, or Magi, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Today, many people exchange gifts with their loved ones on Christmas Day as a way of showing their appreciation and affection.

Another popular tradition during the Christmas season is the decoration of Christmas trees. This practice originated in Germany, where people would bring evergreen trees into their homes and decorate them with candles, fruit, and other items to symbolize the continuation of life during the dark winter months. Today, many people continue to decorate their homes with Christmas trees, using lights, ornaments, and other decorations to create a festive atmosphere.

In addition to gift-giving and tree decorating, many people also enjoy special meals and treats during the Christmas season. Traditional Christmas foods vary depending on the region and culture, but some common dishes include roast turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Desserts such as Christmas pudding, mince pies, and fruitcake are also popular.

Overall, Christmas is a time for celebration and joy. It is a time for families and friends to come together and share in the warmth and love of the season. Whether it is through gift-giving, tree decorating, or special meals, there are many ways to celebrate the Christmas season and create lasting memories with those we hold dear.

I asked ChatGPI, “What is the distance to the nearest star?”, its answer was:

The distance to the nearest star is approximately 4.2 light-years. A light-year is a unit of distance used to measure astronomical distances and is equal to the distance that light can travel in one year, which is approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers. The nearest star to Earth is the Proxima Centauri, which is part of the Alpha Centauri star system. This star is located about 4.2 light-years away from Earth, which means that it would take light about 4.2 years to travel from Proxima Centauri to Earth. This is a very large distance, and it is not currently possible for humans to travel to Proxima Centauri or any other star.

I asked ChatGPT…”How do I make snickerdoodles?” and it replied:

To make snickerdoodles, you will need the following ingredients:

2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
To make the snickerdoodles, follow these steps:

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until a soft dough forms.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place the balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake the snickerdoodles in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

ChatGPT is quite amazing. The responses it gave us were incredibly human-like — and a bit scary to think that AI has come so far in such a relatively short time. What does the future hold? We cannot imagine. But if we were Google we would be very concerned (and very rich).

Would you like to give ChatGPI a try? Visit this page and click on “Try” at the top. You’ll need to create an account. You’ll be asked for your email address, name, and cellphone number (you’ll receive a verification code by text message).