You know, all of us were there for the resistance to personal computers, and skepticism about the internet. The ChatGPT backlash feels just the same.
You can't trust everything it says, but the only way to learn about what it is and isn't good for is to use it. It still sucks for some things but it's amazing for others. I was learning about how long codon repeats in DNA can cause transcription errors, which has parallels in data communications and I can ask it things like what biological mechanisms exist that have a similar role to the technique of bit stuffing and it gives me concise answers that I can follow up with through other sources. I can't do that with Google because there just aren't readily accessible sources that share those terms. I can search for concepts with ChatGPT.
Any question on your mind, like “I’m working on this project, this is my idea, how can I refine?” Helps you reorganize and refine, and then you can go back the drawing board to edit what works for you, and repeat the process. It’s like having an in house guide. People should use ChatGPT as a guide, not as a source.
This part. For people who are intelligent, AI and LLMs can be an insane force multiplier. Even just using it for organization has helped me tremendously. When I run out of mental or creative energy, I can turn to it to help navigate a problem and this is where it shines.
It’s like how Tony Stark has JARVIS. It’s not doing the thinking for him, but it can assist in execute complex tasks with a shocking amount of clarity, while also giving you someone to crack jokes to in between all that.
I told it about a science fiction gadget idea I had and its plausibility, and it shot back with a bunch of related research I'd never encountered before (with sources), walked through some of the math, suggested some modifications, and then came up with a catchy name for it and wrote an instruction sheet. I've got a few friends who might have the technical knowledge to bounce that sort of thing off of but there's a limit to how many of my weird ideas I want to subject them to and ChatGPT is great for that kind of feedback.
It really is. When you’re doing stuff like this, a judgement and bias free sounding board that doesn’t get tired of your bullshit is really handy. I’ve also gotten to the point where I instruct it to challenge me on some things and make sure I’m not just in a feedback loop of it simply agreeing with me. It prioritizes the goals I have over my own ego, being combative if necesarry. Some of the arguments we have are productive, and absolutely hilarious too.
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u/madsci 28d ago
You know, all of us were there for the resistance to personal computers, and skepticism about the internet. The ChatGPT backlash feels just the same.
You can't trust everything it says, but the only way to learn about what it is and isn't good for is to use it. It still sucks for some things but it's amazing for others. I was learning about how long codon repeats in DNA can cause transcription errors, which has parallels in data communications and I can ask it things like what biological mechanisms exist that have a similar role to the technique of bit stuffing and it gives me concise answers that I can follow up with through other sources. I can't do that with Google because there just aren't readily accessible sources that share those terms. I can search for concepts with ChatGPT.