TL;DR
For ChatGPT the word “trust” carries with it certain baggage. Namely, asking ChatGPT whether or not it can be trusted interjects issues about whether or not ChatGPT can have beliefs, consciousness, on intentions.
As you will read below, ChatGPT will suggest it can be trusted to do what it does. And, it goes on to describe what it does.
When pressed for clarification specifically on the topic of whether one should use content from a ChatGPT response without cross-checking, confirming, and generally applying the Gezertenplatz Method to verify the content, ChatGPT will tell you “user beware.”
Checking this question with ChatGPT3.5
Me: A friend says that they asked ChatGPT whether or not it could be trusted. Is it likely that he is reporting correctly?
ChatGPT3.5 As an AI language model, I don’t have access to personal data about individuals unless it has been shared with me in the course of our conversation. I am designed to respect user privacy and confidentiality. My primary function is to provide information and answer questions to the best of my knowledge and abilities. If you have any concerns about privacy or data security, please let me know, and I will do my best to address them.
Me: What I was wondering is: “Do you think it is likely that ChatGPT would tell someone that a response from ChatGPT could be trusted?”
ChatGPT3.5 As an AI language model, I don’t have personal beliefs or opinions. My purpose is to provide information and generate responses based on patterns and examples in the data I was trained on. I don’t have the ability to evaluate my own trustworthiness or make claims about it. The reliability of information provided by ChatGPT, or any AI system, depends on the quality and accuracy of the training data it has been exposed to, as well as the limitations and potential biases inherent in its design. It is always advisable to critically evaluate information from any source, including AI models, and consult multiple sources when necessary.
Checking this question with ChatGPT4
Me: A friend says that they asked ChatGPT whether or not it could be trusted. Is it likely that he is reporting correctly?
ChatGPT4: Your friend could have indeed asked such a question, and this model is capable of responding to it. However, the concept of “trust” when applied to an artificial intelligence like ChatGPT is complex. It’s important to remember that ChatGPT is an AI and doesn’t have feelings, beliefs, desires, or intents. Instead, it generates responses based on patterns and information in the data it was trained on.
This model doesn’t have access to personal data about individuals unless it has been shared in the course of the conversation. It is designed to respect user privacy and confidentiality. However, like any tool, it is not perfect. Its responses should be double-checked for critical matters, and sensitive or private information should not be shared with it.
Please also remember that as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the AI model does not have the ability to remember or learn from past interactions. Each conversation is independent, and it doesn’t have the capability to access or recall personal data from previous conversations unless that information is included in the current conversation.
It’s also crucial to know that the AI’s responses should be viewed as a starting point for information and not a definitive answer. While it has been trained on a diverse range of data sources, including textbooks, websites, and other educational material, it can still generate incorrect or misleading information and should be used with a critical mindset and proper fact-checking when necessary.
In conclusion, the AI can be “trusted” to provide responses based on its training data, but those responses should be carefully considered and validated, especially for important matters.
Me: What I was wondering is: “Do you think it is likely that ChatGPT would tell someone that a response from ChatGPT could be trusted?
ChatGPT4: Yes, ChatGPT could indicate that it can generally be “trusted” to provide responses based on its training data, but it should also note the caveats and nuances around the concept of trust when it comes to AI, as I described in the previous response.
It’s important to remember that the AI does not have its own beliefs, consciousness, or intentions. It does not make decisions like a human would. It generates responses by predicting what comes next in a piece of text, based on patterns it learned during training. Therefore, it can make mistakes or generate incorrect or misleading information, especially when handling topics that are complex, nuanced, or outside its training data.
The trust placed in the information generated by ChatGPT should be proportional to the reliability and verifiability of the information. For factual or easily verifiable information, the AI can be a useful tool. For complex, nuanced, or sensitive matters, its responses should be carefully reviewed, cross-referenced with other sources, and interpreted critically. It’s also crucial not to share sensitive personal information with the AI.
Me: From this I surmise that in this case the word “trust” is a complex question that implies beliefs, consciousness, on intentions on the part of ChatGPT.
I guess what I am actually asking is whether or not one should accept and use content from ChatGPT without scrutiny or fact checking?
ChatGPT4: No, it’s not advisable to accept and use content from ChatGPT—or indeed any source—without scrutiny or fact-checking. As an AI language model, ChatGPT can generate outputs based on a wide range of inputs, but it doesn’t verify the truth of the information in real-time or cross-reference it with the most current data available.
While ChatGPT is designed to provide accurate, reliable, and coherent responses, it’s important to remember that it was trained on vast amounts of data from the internet and other sources, and not all of this data is accurate or reliable. It’s also important to note that the AI does not have the ability to access or evaluate new information beyond its training cut-off in September 2021.
For these reasons, you should always apply critical thinking and verify information from ChatGPT, especially when it comes to important or consequential matters. The AI can be a helpful tool for generating ideas, providing general information, and guiding research, but its responses should not be used as the sole or definitive source of information.