Unlocking the Potential of ChatGPT: Exploring Its Benefits and Limitations for Individuals

ChatGPT, launched back in November 2022, has taken the world by storm. A recent article by RTE noted that by April of this year there were 173 million users of ChatGPT globally. This number can only be expected to grow, as more and more people begin to use this tool.

ChatGPT is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) Chatbot, which can both comprehend and form human-like answers when asked a question by a user. This kind of technology is designed to help you with any questions you may have – on any topic, within an almost instantaneous timeframe. Like a google search, but one that you can chat back and forth with.

As with any technology there are multiple benefits and some limitations to using ChatGPT. Although these limitations may reduce overtime.

Below we look at some of the most beneficial ways in which individuals can use ChatGPT and are the watchouts that are good to bear in mind.

User Benefits:

Generating Creative Ideas

The great thing about ChatGPT is that it can help you with creative generating ideas it’s proving difficult for you to generate them. For instance, if you had writers block and were looking to make a start on a blog for your company website – you can get some inspiration from using this tool. You could ask the chatbot “List X number of ideas for blogs about Y.” You can assess the results and go from there.

Making recommendations

Another example could be if you’re due to host movie night for friends/family and need some recommendations on what to watch to watch and where, you could ask the chatbot “What are some of the best movies on Netflix Ireland right now?”, or “What are the best streaming platforms to watch X movie on?”.  Movie night is saved at a touch of a button!

Improving your existing content

Looking to update your CV or draft a strong cover letter? ChatGPT can help you tailor your CV according to the job you are applying for, maximising your chances of getting that job you’ve always wanted. You could ask something like “Generate 5 bullet points which demonstrate my ability to do X skill”.

Further, it can assist with drafting a cover letter for the job you are applying for, tailoring it to the job description and requirements. Overall, this is a beneficial tool for jobseekers, as it saves you a lot of time and energy.

Help with Homework

Not by doing your homework, but by explaining concepts and ideas to you in individualised way that matches your learning style. Think of scenario where what’s written in your textbook just doesn’t make sense to you. You can ask ChatGPT to explain the same concept to you and then continue to interact with it by asking follow on questions which makes it much clearer and easier to understand.

The Limitations:

Unable to distinguish between fact and fiction:

ChatGPT’s information is gathered from data from the internet. The limitation with this is that the information provided isn’t 100% guaranteed to be always accurate and factually correct. The information could be unreliable, based on opinion vs. fact and could also show an element of bias. For students, this is something to keep in mind. It’s important to fact check the information given or cross check with another source, before deciding to use it.

Inability to understand context:

Unfortunately, ChatGPT gathers answers to a question asked, but it is unable to comprehend other information which would come before/after this, to develop a proper discussion. If humour or sarcasm are used, ChatGPT would struggle to comprehend this. So, it’s recommended to bear this in mind when dealing with the Chatbot.

Issues with generating long-form content:

This tool may have issues in forming any long-form content, and typically instead it works better for gathering smaller pieces of information. The programme finds it difficult to produce a long-form piece that has a clear structure and flow, and therefore it wouldn’t be fit for producing quality sample essays or reports to use in school, college or work.

You’re better off drafting the essay or report yourself, just taking nuggets of information from the Chatbot if you need. Also, you need to bear in mind that that if ChatGPT attributes a statement or piece of research, you still need to attribute that person or research to avoid falling foul of plagiarism.

AI tools are only beginning to embed into human experience and practical application, so it’s   always best to proceed with caution and use your best judgement to decide when it is and is not appropriate to use ChatGPT.

To be able to experience the full effects of this AI tool, having a high-speed broadband connection is essential. This will enable you to receive quick results from the Chatbot and make the experience seamless and fit for purpose.

For more information on ChatGPT visit – openai.com.

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