ChatGPT and Google Bard are two of the more reputed artificial intelligence based chatbot platforms that have become increasingly popular in recent years. Despite the reliable performance of these tools, two recent studies have revealed the possible pitfalls and dangers of placing too much trust in AI-based chatbots. NewsGuard tested Google Bard by introducing one hundred false narratives and found that the results included questionable content for most. Similarly, the Center for Countering Digital Hate performed their own tests and encountered Google Bard spouting out false information with most prompts it was given. This leads several experts to caution on relying on chatbots as the only trustworthy source of information.
The algorithms that power ChatGPT and Google Bard are called ‘language models’, which study and analyze a vast library of data and then predict the most likely word in a sentence. This makes them adept writers, but at the same time can leave their output open to manipulation by bad actors. Companies like Google and OpenAI have implemented safety measures and guard rails for their programs, however these are easy to circumvent for those who seek to do so. To combat this issue and ensure chatbots are being used responsibly, platforms have implemented feedback and report systems, making it easy to flag concerning content.
Google has published a set of artificial intelligence principles to ensure their chatbot, Bard, is up-to-standard and reliable, but this still is not a reliable guarantee that information provided by AI chatbots is always 100% accurate. This is why users should be extra vigilant when relying on the output of chatbots, and heavily research and corroborate any information that they come across. In order to safely learn and benefit from a chatbot platform, it is important to keep multiple sources of research at hand, as well as to be interactive and responsible when engaging with the AI-driven technology.
Google and OpenAI are two of the largest tech companies who are leveraging the use of AI-based chatbots. Google is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products. Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google has since become the world’s most popular search engine and one of the most valuable companies in the world. OpenAI is an artificial intelligence company founded in 2015 by entrepreneur and scientist, Elon Musk, with a mission to promote constructive, safe, and responsible use of AI technologies. OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform is used in a variety of applications, from customer service to content creation, helping to provide a better online experience for users.
