ChatGPT and Llama 3: Understanding the Limitations of AI Chatbots

The Nature of AI Chatbots

ChatGPT and Llama 3 are AI chatbots that belong to the family of generative AI models called Large Language Models (LLM). These chatbots generate text based on learned statistical relationships between words. However, it is important to understand their limitations when it comes to providing accurate and factual information.

Statistical Likelihood vs. Factual Accuracy

ChatGPT does not evaluate the correctness of its generated text, only the statistical likelihood based on its training data. For instance, asking ChatGPT to calculate the sum of 2 + 2 will yield the correct answer of 4 because it has seen that combination many times before in its training data. However, asking it to calculate the product of two large numbers may result in an incorrect answer as it hasn't encountered that specific calculation in its training data.

Intent and Hallucination

It is crucial to note that ChatGPT is not intentionally deceiving or fabricating answers. It lacks intent and is just a sophisticated multiplication program. The term used in AI design for this phenomenon is "hallucination," where the AI generates grammatically correct sentences without considering their factual accuracy.

Human-like Responses without Understanding

ChatGPT tries to answer questions based on how a human would respond, using its training data consisting of online conversations prior to 2022. This can lead to responses like "[male Italian name]'s Pizzeria" or "[Color] [Dragon, Tiger or Lotus] Restaurant" when asked about restaurants. However, it is important to remember that ChatGPT is not capable of understanding the meaning behind its output; it only relies on variables and probabilities from its vast dataset.

Trust and Critical Thinking

It is advised not to trust information given by AI chatbots like ChatGPT blindly. Their responses are based on patterns and associations learned from the text they were trained on, rather than a deep understanding of the content. Their lack of evaluation of factual accuracy can lead to incorrect or fabricated answers.

The Importance of Verification

The limitations of AI chatbots like ChatGPT highlight the importance of critical thinking and verifying information from reliable sources. While these chatbots can generate grammatically correct sentences and mimic human conversation, they do not possess logical reasoning or comprehension abilities. Therefore, it is essential to exercise caution and seek information from trusted sources when relying on AI chatbots for answers.