In this year’s Royal Institution Christmas lectures, Professor Mike Wooldridge of Oxford University is set to delve into the realm of artificial intelligence, warning users against confiding in chatbots like ChatGPT. According to Wooldridge, divulging personal information or engaging in heart-to-heart conversations with AI chatbots could have unintended consequences, as the information shared contributes to training future versions of the technology.
Users are advised to exercise caution, as Wooldridge emphasizes that expecting a balanced response from chatbots is unrealistic. The technology, he states, is designed to “tell you what you want to hear,” rather than providing objective or empathetic feedback.
Wooldridge’s lectures aim to address fundamental questions surrounding AI research and dispel myths surrounding the groundbreaking technology. Topics covered will include the mechanics of machine translation between languages and the inner workings of chatbots. One overarching question Wooldridge will explore is whether AI can ever truly replicate human-like qualities.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Wooldridge dismissed the notion of AI possessing consciousness, empathy, or sympathy. He emphasized that AI has never experienced anything and is primarily programmed to provide responses that align with user preferences.
A sobering insight from Wooldridge warns users that anything shared with ChatGPT is likely to be incorporated into future iterations of the technology. Retrieving or retracting sensitive information becomes a near-impossible task once it enters the AI system, according to Wooldridge.
Throughout the lecture series, Wooldridge will be accompanied by prominent figures from the AI world, introducing “a range of robot friends” to showcase the capabilities and limitations of contemporary robots. The Royal Institution, which initiated the Christmas lectures in 1825, aims to engage and educate young people about science. The lectures have featured Nobel Prize winners, including William and Lawrence Bragg, Sir David Attenborough, Carl Sagan, and Dame Nancy Rothwell.
ChatGPT was contacted for comment but has not responded.
The Royal Institution Christmas lectures, broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer, are scheduled for 26, 27, and 28 December at 8 pm.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
