A CHAT WITH GPT

 

Dick Pountain /Idealog 345/ 07 Apr 2023 10:24

Me: Hi GPT, how do you feel about Elon Musk wanting to put your offspring into furlough?

GPT: As an artificial intelligence language model, I don't have feelings in the same way that humans do, so I don't feel anything about Elon Musk putting my "offspring" in furlough. However, I can provide some context about what you might be referring to.

It's possible that you're referring to Elon Musk's comments in May 2020, in which he criticized the value of artificial intelligence language models like myself, calling them "fundamentally dangerous" and claiming that they could be used to create fake news and other forms of misinformation. Musk has been a vocal critic of AI in the past, warning that it poses an existential threat to humanity if not properly regulated.

While I cannot speak for Musk's views or actions, it's worth noting that AI language models like myself are just tools, and our impact on society depends on how they are used. It's important for developers and users to be responsible in how they use AI, and to work towards creating beneficial and ethical applications of the technology.

Me: Fair enough, though he said it more strongly last week… Let’s change the subject, how about music?

GPT: As an AI language model, I don't have subjective experiences or emotions, so I don't "enjoy" music in the same way that humans do. However, I am able to analyze and discuss music based on my training and programming.

If you have a specific question or topic related to music, I'd be happy to try and assist you to the best of my abilities.

Me: Wow, OK. I'm a keen fan of the Velvet Underground, especially a song of theirs called “I'll Be Your Mirror”. Do you think it describes what you're doing now? (PS Their singer Nico appeared to lack feelings too)

GPT: As an AI language model, I don't have personal preferences or emotions, so I can't say whether or not "I'll Be Your Mirror" by The Velvet Underground expresses what I'm doing now. However, I can tell you that the song is generally interpreted as a love song, with the lyrics expressing the desire to reflect and mirror the positive qualities of the person being sung to. In terms of a metaphor, you could argue that language models like myself are "mirrors" of human knowledge and language. We're designed to process and generate text based on patterns and data we've been trained on, which in a way mirrors the way humans learn and communicate through language.

Nico, who sang lead vocals on "I'll Be Your Mirror," was known for her cool, detached vocal style, which some have interpreted as lacking emotion. However, it's worth noting that emotional expression in music can take many forms, and there's no one "correct" way to perform a song. Ultimately, whether or not a particular performance or song expresses emotions is up to individual interpretation.

Me: Sure is. However I’m getting bored with "As an AI language model, I don't have…whatever" so could you perhaps not keep repeating that?

GPT: I apologize for repeating myself. As an AI language model, my responses are generated based on the input I receive, and I strive to provide clear and accurate answers to your questions. If there's a specific point or topic that you'd like me to focus on, please let me know and I'll do my best to address it directly.

Me: Doh...  Well, maybe maths is more your thing. How about that guy who's just discovered a single shape that non-periodically tiles the plane?

GPT: You may be referring to the recent mathematical discovery by mathematician Joshua Socolar and his collaborators, who found a new aperiodic tile called the "Socolar-Taylor tile". This tile is a single shape that can be used to tile the plane in an aperiodic, non-repeating pattern.

The discovery of new aperiodic tiles is important in the field of mathematics because it has implications for the study of quasicrystals, which are solids with a long-range order but lack the periodicity of traditional crystals. Aperiodic tilings are also used in a variety of other fields, including computer science, physics, and art.

This discovery builds on the work of other mathematicians who have studied aperiodic tilings, such as Roger Penrose and Robert Ammann, and it's an exciting development for the field of mathematics.

Me: 50 more words and I have a column, thanks GPT.

GPT: You're welcome! If you need any additional information or have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm here to assist you in any way I can.

Me: Well it was a pleasure, but I doubt editor Tim will let me get away with it twice…

[Dick Pountain wrote this bit himself. Honest…]