ChatGPT was born two years ago amid a wave of hyperbolic hype, skepticism and outright fear. The AI chatbot didn't immediately guide us into digital heaven, take over all the jobs or become sentient and send robots with Austrian accents after us, but ChatGPT has had a huge impact on many people's lives.
For ChatGPT's second birthday, I've compiled some of the most notable (if not always noblest) ways in which OpenAI's experiment with a digital companion has changed many people's daily lives. I have to say that while I asked ChatGPT for examples of how the world has changed, the AI was either self-deprecating for not having done so or insisted that everyone's lives are radically altered by its presence in ways that resemble the Matrix. Movies more than reality. Still, even if you're not one to employ AI chatbot for all the examples below, I bet you know someone who has at least experimented with doing so. Here are five ways ChatGPT has become a part of people's lives, big and small:
Houdini Task
Teachers and school administrators quickly noticed what ChatGPT could mean for students. Lazy students could ignore hallucinations or horrible sentences to turn in terrible work, but it was easy to dismiss them and give them an F. Smarter students could improve their work and research with ChatGPT and not always be caught. OpenAI quickly partnered with educational organizations to try to find useful ways to implement the AI chatbot, with fun study tools and helpful guides on complex topics.
But arguably the biggest impact was changing the way teachers deliver their lessons. Some have relied on extra strict rules for using ChatGPT, while others have replaced essays with oral reports or projects where students can't trust ChatGPT to do everything for them. Thanks to ChatGPT, homework is disappearing.
ChefGPT
Some have always known how to transform what's in the freezer and cabinet into a culinary delight, but for others, ChatGPT has become a go-to resource for discovering our meals.
ChatGPT has given everyone the option to describe what's in the pantry and then simply upload a photo of what's available to get a list of dish ideas, including the recipe. Or maybe you saw something on a cooking show that you'd like to try but modified it based on your taste or dietary restrictions; AI chatbot has you covered. As long as you want to make sure he hasn't hallucinated anything dangerous, you'll be on your way to a delicious dinner quickly. And your AI sous-chef is on standby if you make a mistake along the way.
DIY Coding Companion
Once upon a time, aspiring programmers had to search GitHub for projects, templates, and Frankenstein snippets to create an app or website. Now, many are turning to ChatGPT as their coding companion. Why sift through repositories when you can ask ChatGPT to “write a Python script to rename 1000 files in a folder” or “explain recursion like it's five years old”? It's fast, easy, and avoids the endless rabbit holes of GitHub.
The positive side is that ChatGPT makes coding more accessible. You don't have to be a tech wizard to get started; It's like having a patient (and absurdly knowledgeable) professor who can explain code, debug bugs, or even write entire functions from scratch.
Imagination on screen
Gone are the days when creating stunning images required years of practice or expensive software. With ChatGPT image generation, anyone can produce complex artwork, design concepts, or even memes in minutes.
Aspiring artists use it to generate ideas and people bring their imaginations to life, which is wonderful in many ways. That said, AI-generated images are also likely to spark debates or open fights if you're not careful.
Does AI-generated art devalue other types of visual creation or simply make it more accessible? Is it a tribute or a theft of your favorite artist's creation? No matter how you feel about it, posting any image has made it a lot more complicated than it used to be.
Cyrano AI
ChatGPT changed the way people talk to each other. South Park wrote an entire episode (with the help of ChatGPT) about kids using the AI chatbot to figure out how to respond to their romantic partners. As satirical as that opinion may have been, it also has a reality.
Many people have asked AI for help in dealing with social and romantic situations. It's like having Cyrano de Bergerac in your pocket, without the tragic ending and excessive frills. ChatGPT has served as an interpreter for cryptic messages and explained how to end things with someone you don't like without causing a scene.
It used to be that a text you sent would be seen and discussed by all of the recipient's friends. Now, it must be taken into account that it will also be analyzed by an AI confidant. It's not just romance either. AI offers everything from ideas on how to dress for a party to good icebreakers at a networking event.