The GPT-3 Toothpaste Is Out Of The Tube—It’s Not Going Back In

It’s time to really rethink our relationship with technology.

Yes, it’s messy. And trying to resist or suppress the wide-scale adoption isn’t going to help. And beyond the mess, it’s complicated. From the college essay creation to sophisticated business tools, technology is fundamentally changing the very nature of process itself.

Many of the current reactions have been to “flag” or “suppress” use as some sort of violation of “sacrosanct” human skills. However, these skills need to be reassessed in the context of advancing technology. For some, it might feel like the long-awaited existential crisis between man and machine has arrived.

But let’s face it, the adoption of AI and GPT-3 is inevitable. While there are certainly valid concerns about the potential impact of these technologies, it is important for society to find a way to incorporate them into our lives and forge a new path forward.

Too good to be true? Well, it very well may be. AI has the potential to revolutionize industries ranging from healthcare to transportation, and GPT-3 has the ability to generate human-like text, which could be used for a variety of applications such as automated customer service or content creation.

It’s already here. AI and GPT-3 are already being used in various ways. For example, AI is being used to analyze medical images and make diagnoses, while GPT-3 is being used to generate news articles and social media content. As the technology continues to advance, it will become increasingly integrated into various aspects of society.

The downside risk is too great. It’s also critical that we consider the potential consequences of not adopting these technologies. If we do not find a way to incorporate AI and GPT-3 into our lives, we risk falling behind other countries and industries that are embracing the technology. This could have significant negative, impacts on our economy and overall competitiveness.

What about that college essay? While GPT-3 may be able to generate text that is coherent and well-written, some argue that it is not capable of demonstrating the same level of critical thinking, analysis, and personal reflection that is expected in a college essay. In short, while GPT-3 may be able to assist with some aspects of writing an essay, it is not a substitute for the thought, effort, and creativity that go into a well-written college essay. But that’s GPT-3. Early insights into the GPT-4 suggest that improvements will occur at over an order of magnitude. And with another quantum leap in capabilities, the college essay (and similar writing) may need to acquiesce to the inevitable and become a vestige of the past. It’s not about clinging to the “old school” idea, but moving forward into a new future.

Remember, the camera didn’t kill the artist. In fact, it helped drive creativity forward and advance it in new (and unexpected) areas. Overall, while there are certainly valid concerns about the potential impact of AI and GPT-3, it is important for society to find a way to incorporate these technologies into our lives and move forward in a responsible, ethical and (dare I say) a playful manner. But the real insight into the emergence of AI and GPT-3/4 might be that it’s in our best interest to not only to think about technology that accommodates humanity, but humanity that accommodates technology!