5 Big Questions About Artificial Intelligence

It’s a technology that enables computers to do tasks that normally require human thought and problem-solving skills. It’s often referred to simply as AI.

You may not realize it, but AI is all around us. Map apps rely on it to help drivers avoid traffic. Sites like Netflix and Disney+ use it to recommend movies you might like. And when virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa understand your voice commands, that’s AI at work.

But chatbots are probably the type of AI you’ve heard about most.

It’s a kind of technology. It’s often referred to simply as AI. Artificial intelligence enables computers to do certain tasks. These tasks would normally require human thought and problem-solving skills. 

You may not realize it, but AI is all around us. Map apps rely on it to help drivers avoid traffic. Sites like Netflix and Disney+ use it to recommend movies you might like. Virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa use it too. AI helps them understand your voice commands.

But chatbots are probably the type of AI you’ve heard about most.

Yes. For example, Midjourney and DALL-E are AI tools that can create artwork. If users type in a request for a painting of Abraham Lincoln riding a unicorn, they’ll get an image in less than a minute. 

Also, the latest version of ChatGPT has enhanced features. Among other things, it can assist people who have vision loss. The bot can analyze photos and explain aloud what’s in them. Experts say the capabilities of AI will only continue to grow.

“AI is becoming helpful in almost every aspect of our lives,” says Hod Lipson. He’s a professor at Columbia University in New York and an AI expert.

Yes. For example, Midjourney and DALL-E are AI tools that can create artwork. Users can type in a request for a painting of Abraham Lincoln riding a unicorn. They’ll get an image in less than a minute. 

Also, the latest version of ChatGPT has enhanced features. Among other things, it can assist people who have vision loss. The bot can analyze photos and explain aloud what’s in them. Experts say the capabilities of AI will only continue to grow.

“AI is becoming helpful in almost every aspect of our lives,” says Hod Lipson. He’s a professor at Columbia University in New York. He’s also an AI expert.

Not an issue you can trust! The current version of ChatGPT only analyzes information from April 2023 and earlier. It doesn’t know about current events. Still, we asked it to write an article anyway. 

The results were alarming. ChatGPT’s article was called “Historic Space Mission Successfully Lands Humans on Mars!” It was filled with details about a mission that never happened. The article also included quotes from people who don’t exist. 

That’s one of the problems with AI-powered bots. Their responses may sound correct but could be completely false. Also, because AI tools pull data from across the internet, they may give results that are not only wrong but also offensive. Many people worry about AI being used to spread misinformation—either accidentally or on purpose.

Not an issue you can trust! The current version of ChatGPT only analyzes information from April 2023 and earlier. It doesn’t know about current events. Still, we asked it to write an article anyway. 

The results were alarming. ChatGPT’s article was called “Historic Space Mission Successfully Lands Humans on Mars!” It was filled with details about a mission that never happened. The article also included quotes from people who don’t exist. 

That’s one of the problems with AI-powered bots. Their responses may sound correct but could be completely false. Also, AI tools pull data from across the internet. Because of this, they may give results that are not only wrong but also offensive. Many people worry about AI being used to spread misinformation. This could happen either accidentally or on purpose.

Experts compare AI to a child who’s making mistakes but is learning more each day. 

“The AI this year is a lot smarter and more capable than the AI last year,” Lipson explains. 

For now, he suggests that kids learn to use AI responsibly. For example, ChatGPT can be useful for brainstorming ideas. But having it do your homework is cheating. (Plus, its answers might be wrong!) 

Lipson predicts that as AI becomes more sophisticated, its possible uses will be endless.

“We’re going to see a lot more solutions to our biggest problems being generated by AI,” he says.

Experts compare AI to a child. Like a child, it’s making mistakes but is learning more each day. 

“The AI this year is a lot smarter and more capable than the AI last year,” Lipson explains. 

For now, he suggests that kids learn to use AI responsibly. For example, ChatGPT can be useful for brainstorming ideas. But having it do your homework is cheating. (Plus, its answers might be wrong!) 

Lipson predicts that as AI becomes more sophisticated, its possible uses will be endless.

“We’re going to see a lot more solutions to our biggest problems being generated by AI,” he says.

1. In the article, what is meant by the statement that “AI is all around us”?

2. Why does the article say that when ChatGPT wrote a news article, the “results were alarming”?

3. Based on the article, why is it a bad idea to use ChatGPT to complete your homework?

1. In the article, what is meant by the statement that “AI is all around us”?

2. Why does the article say that when ChatGPT wrote a news article, the “results were alarming”?

3. Based on the article, why is it a bad idea to use ChatGPT to complete your homework?