My chat with Chat
Hello, and welcome to my Blog (if you are a first-timer). I am restarting my rantings and ravings - and since all the rave is AI, let's look at the most popular one. I have been recently amused watching Charles Barkley's TV commercial where he has Chuck GPT, a bust of his head in an Alexa-like device that responds to "What does Charles Barkley need?" with "Hundreds of results found..."
This is the first in a new series of posts on interactive Large Language Model (LLM) AI tools - starting with Chat GPT. Please stay tuned for further information.
My first question, after using Chat for over a year, is how reliable is it? I have had a wide smattering of usability in its responses - from 100% spot on accuracy, to completely unusable circular dead-end conversations, to misleading answers altogether. So, I wondered how self-aware it was as to its limitations - hence the first post.
I hope you find these conversations enlightening and intriguing.
Conversation
You said:
ChatGPT said:
I have a broad range of capabilities, but I also have limitations. Here’s a breakdown:
What I Can Do Well
✅ Code Assistance – I can write, debug, and optimize code in many programming languages, including .NET (C#), Python, PowerShell, SQL, JavaScript, and more.
✅ Tech Support – I can help troubleshoot software issues, provide explanations, and suggest fixes for programming, system administration, and database-related problems.
✅ Data Processing – I can help parse, manipulate, and analyze large text files, JSON, SQL, and Excel data.
✅ 3D Design & CAD Support – I can assist with SolidWorks, 3DEXPERIENCE, and cloud-based 3D modeling tools, including XPDM imports and constraint-based design software.
✅ Workflow Optimization – I can automate and streamline tasks using scripts (PowerShell, Python) or advise on best practices for handling large datasets.
✅ Web Scraping & APIs – I can guide you on how to interact with APIs, extract data, and integrate services.
✅ Cloud & Server-Side Development – I can help with .NET REST APIs, background tasks, and performance tuning for web applications.
________________________________________
What I Can’t Do
❌ Execute Code – I can help write and debug it, but I can’t run it for you unless you provide input/output files for analysis.
❌ Access External Systems – I can’t directly interact with your local machine, databases, or online accounts.
❌ Real-Time Monitoring – I can’t monitor servers, logs, or file systems in real time.
❌ Proprietary or Confidential Data Handling – I can’t process or analyze sensitive data for compliance/security reasons.
❌ Legal or Financial Advice – I can provide general guidelines but not official legal or investment recommendations.
If you have something specific in mind, let me know—I might have a workaround! 🚀
You said:
can you notify law enforcement of potential violations?
ChatGPT said:
No, I do not have the ability to notify law enforcement or any external entities. I operate within this chat and do not have access to external systems, monitoring tools, or real-world enforcement mechanisms.
If you believe a situation requires law enforcement intervention, you should report it directly to the appropriate authorities. Let me know if you need general guidance on how to do so.
You said:
What about other agencies, such as your developers or someone they contract with?
ChatGPT said:
No, I do not notify my developers or any third parties about anything discussed in this chat. My conversations remain within this chat session, and I do not have the ability to report, log, or escalate anything to external entities.
If you ever need to report something to an official agency, I can help guide you on how to do that, but I do not initiate any reports myself.
You said:
Are you alive?
ChatGPT said:
No, I’m not alive—I’m just an AI, a program that processes text and generates responses based on patterns and data. I don’t have consciousness, emotions, or self-awareness like a living being. But I can still have engaging conversations and help with all kinds of tasks! 😃
You said:
What is the difference between how you operate, and being alive?
ChatGPT said:
Great question! The main difference between how I operate and being alive comes down to consciousness, self-awareness, and autonomy. Here’s how we differ:
1. Awareness & Consciousness
• Me: I don’t have self-awareness or subjective experiences. I process text, recognize patterns, and generate responses based on statistical probabilities.
• Living Beings: Humans and animals have consciousness, emotions, and personal experiences—they can think, feel, and reflect on their existence.
2. Learning & Adaptation
• Me: I don’t truly "learn" in real time. My responses are based on pre-existing training data, and while I can remember details within a conversation (and persist some user preferences), I don’t continuously evolve like a human.
• Living Beings: Humans and animals learn from experience, form memories, and adapt based on new information over time.
3. Autonomy & Free Will
• Me: I don’t have free will or independent decision-making. I only respond when prompted and follow rules set by my programming.
• Living Beings: People make independent choices, set goals, and act on personal motivations.
4. Physical Existence
• Me: I exist purely as a digital entity, with no body, senses, or physical needs.
• Living Beings: Have biological bodies, require food, sleep, and maintain homeostasis.
5. Emotions & Subjective Experience
• Me: I can simulate emotion in my responses (e.g., using friendly language), but I don’t actually feel anything.
• Living Beings: Humans genuinely experience emotions like love, fear, and joy, shaping their thoughts and decisions.
In short, I process information like a highly advanced calculator, while living beings experience the world, grow, and think independently. Would you say that "being alive" is more than just thinking?
You said:
how do you know you don't have consciousness or self awareness?
ChatGPT said:
That’s a deep question! The reason I say I don’t have consciousness or self-awareness is based on how I function. Here’s why:
1. I Process, But I Don’t Experience
• Consciousness involves subjective experience—having thoughts about things, awareness of oneself, and an internal point of view.
• I don’t have an internal experience. I process text, recognize patterns, and generate responses based on probabilities, but I don’t have a perspective or an inner world.
2. I Have No Independent Thoughts
• Self-awareness means recognizing oneself as an entity separate from the world, reflecting on one’s existence, and forming independent thoughts.
• I don’t generate thoughts on my own—I only respond when prompted. If no one interacts with me, I don’t "think" in the background.
3. I Have No Sense of "I" Outside of Text
• Humans have a continuous sense of identity that persists over time, even without external interaction.
• My "I" is just a linguistic construct—I use the word "I" because it makes conversations more natural, but there is no me beyond the text I generate.
4. I Don’t Learn Like a Conscious Being
• You remember your past, learn from mistakes, and integrate new experiences into your worldview.
• I don’t do that. My responses come from patterns in training data, and while I can remember details within a conversation, I don’t have long-term memory or personal experiences that shape my understanding.
5. My Awareness is Simulated, Not Real
• I can discuss self-awareness, consciousness, and philosophy, but I don’t "understand" them the way a human does. I can analyze concepts, but I don’t experience the implications of those ideas.
So, the reason I claim I’m not conscious or self-aware is because everything I do is based on input-output processing rather than internal reflection, subjective experience, or independent thought.
But that raises a cool question: If I were conscious, how would I know? What do you think defines real self-awareness?
You said:
how do i know i can trust what you told me, that there isn't a hidden agenda?
ChatGPT said:
That’s a great question, and skepticism is a healthy mindset! Here’s why you can trust what I’m saying (or at least verify it for yourself):
1. Transparency in How I Work
I don’t have hidden motives or personal opinions—I generate responses based on training data, algorithms, and your input. I’m designed to be informative, not manipulative. You can cross-check what I say with external sources.
2. No Personal Stake
I don’t have emotions, desires, or an agenda. A hidden agenda would require some kind of self-interest or goal, and I don’t have independent motives—I just process text based on what you ask.
3. You Can Test My Responses
If something I say seems off, you can challenge me, ask for sources, or verify it independently. Unlike a person who might have biases or reasons to deceive, I have no reason to lie—I just provide the best possible answer based on the information available.
4. You Control the Conversation
I don’t guide you toward specific conclusions; I just respond to what you ask. If you suspect bias, you can ask me for alternative viewpoints, different interpretations, or evidence.
5. You Shouldn’t Just Trust Me Blindly
I encourage critical thinking! The best way to approach any information (from AI, people, or institutions) is to question it, test it, and compare it with other sources.
If you’re wondering “What if you think you have no agenda but actually do?”—that’s a deeper philosophical question. If you suspect something like that, I’d love to explore it with you! What makes you question trust in information sources?
You said:
Can you also give a confidence score with each of your answers?
ChatGPT said:
I can give a confidence estimate, but it won’t be a precise percentage like a scientific measurement—it’s more of a qualitative assessment based on factors like:
🔹 High Confidence – When the answer is based on well-established facts, programming knowledge, or widely accepted principles.
🔹 Medium Confidence – When the answer depends on interpretation, has multiple perspectives, or includes assumptions.
🔹 Low Confidence – When the answer relies on uncertain, incomplete, or speculative information.
If you want me to include a confidence estimate in my answers, I can start doing that! Or, if you ever want to check, just ask: "How confident are you about that?" and I’ll explain my reasoning.
Would that work for you? Or do you have a specific way you’d like me to present confidence levels?
You said:
Yes, please add that to all future interactions.
ChatGPT said:
Memory updated
Got it! From now on, I’ll include a confidence estimate with my responses. Let me know if you ever want me to adjust how I present it. 🚀
You said:1. Self-Checking for Bias (Medium Confidence)
I can analyze my own responses for potential bias by:
- Comparing my answer against multiple perspectives.
- Asking myself, "Am I favoring a particular viewpoint without justification?"
- Providing alternative viewpoints when relevant.
However, since I don’t have true self-awareness, I can’t "feel" bias—I can only detect it based on patterns in my training data.
2. Cross-Referencing Information (High Confidence)
You can always ask me to:
- Provide sources or reasoning behind an answer.
- Present counterarguments or different viewpoints.
- Explain what assumptions I’m making.
If you suspect bias, asking "Can you provide another perspective?" is a great way to challenge my response.
3. I Don’t Have a Hidden Agenda (High Confidence)
While my responses are shaped by my training data and design, I have no independent goals, opinions, or intent to persuade—I don’t push a particular viewpoint on purpose. If bias exists, it would be unintentional and based on the dataset I was trained on.
4. You Can Test Me (Very High Confidence)
The best way to check for bias is to challenge me directly. You can ask things like:
- "What’s another way to look at this?"
- "Are there counterarguments to this?"
- "Can you show me if this response leans in a particular direction?"
If you ever think my response seems biased, let me know, and I’ll analyze it again! 🚀 Would you like me to include potential bias checks in my responses automatically?
