Revolutionizing Interaction: How ChatGPT Changes Our Search Experience
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Chapter 1: The Paradigm Shift
In moments like these, Arthur Clarke's words resonate: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
To summarize succinctly: I doubt we will revert to basic search bar interfaces as our main tool for information retrieval.
Recent weeks have seen ChatGPT capturing widespread attention. OpenAI has raised the bar with their latest language model, GPT-3, which enables users to engage with AI in a conversational style. This model can handle follow-up inquiries, challenge incorrect premises, decline inappropriate requests, and acknowledge errors.
By integrating WebGPT, another OpenAI model, a novel method for online information retrieval emerged: ChatGPT-like interfaces that allow users to interact with search engines through natural language dialogue.
“The Prompt,” by Tristan Wolff
One of the platforms utilizing a ChatGPT-style interface is You.com. This article will analyze You.com’s interface compared to conventional search engines, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of these innovative search methods.
Get ready, as we might be on the brink of a major transformation.
Using ChatGPT-like Interfaces
Let’s get straight to the point: what is it like to use You.com and its conversational interface?
You.com’s conversational interface allows for dynamic interactions with a search engine. Navigating search results through a chat setup feels incredibly efficient. Users can delve into topics as they arise and easily return to earlier findings. Importantly, users can inquire about the sources utilized and receive immediate links.
When a quick list of results is needed—much like traditional Google searches—the AI can simply be asked to provide them:
You.com provides the flexibility to switch between standard search, ChatGPT-like interactions, and various other search tools effortlessly, enabling users to explore their queries in different contexts.
We can anticipate that this customization feature—now standard on many new web search engines—will evolve into a new generation of personalized, AI-driven search tools, allowing seamless transitions between contexts and visual formats. For instance, while researching philosophical authors related to the simulation hypothesis, if you encounter an intriguing mention of Hilary Putnam’s “Brains in a Vat” thought experiment, you could prompt the AI to visualize it. The AI might generate an image akin to those produced by Midjourney or Stable Diffusion, or even create a video explaining the thought experiment itself.
Interacting with AI through prompts will likely become the preferred method of communication between humans and machines, with various media (text, images, sound, video, etc.) increasingly intertwined.
It may sound unusual, but the concept of holodecks may eventually become a reality.
Advantages and Disadvantages of ChatGPT-like Interfaces
Advantages:
- ChatGPT-like interfaces enable natural language processing, enhancing the precision of search outcomes.
- These interfaces are user-friendly and intuitive, leading to significant time savings.
- Users can explore results through summaries and comparisons, accessing insights that traditional search engines may overlook.
Disadvantages:
- Users may need to master how to effectively prompt an AI model. Especially with complex queries, conversations may devolve into “spoken code” to enhance efficiency (e.g., “list from previous response, loop through the sources of each item from the list, then display only the items that use Putnam as a source or influence”).
- There is evidence that language models can exhibit bias toward particular types of queries, potentially leading to skewed results. For instance, if the training data predominantly reflects a male, Eurocentric perspective.
Try it out for yourself at www.you.com! I invite you to share your experiences with me in the comments or on Twitter, as I would love to include your insights in this discussion!
Additionally, if you're interested in building your own GPT-3 chatbot using HTML and JavaScript, I have a guide for you:
How to Create Your Own Custom AI Chatbot with a Text Editor & 28 Lines of JavaScript
Your personalized GPT-3 chatbot can be set up quickly and easily in under 10 minutes.
Chapter 2: The A.I. Dilemma
The A.I. Dilemma - March 9, 2023 - This video explores the ethical and practical implications of advanced AI technologies.
Chapter 3: The Future of AI in Industries
How AI and ChatGPT are Redefining the Future Across Industries (With Mike Todasco) - EP#157 - A discussion on the transformative effects of AI across various sectors.