Why Top Physicist Labels Chatbots as Nothing More Than ‘Glorified Tape Recorders’

Chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT

In an interview with CNN, Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center, said chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT are just “glorified tape recorders.”

• Chatbots take snippets of what’s on the web created by a human and splice them together to pass it off as if it created these things.
• Chatbots cannot discern true from false and require human input for that.

Computing Evolution

According to Kaku, humanity is in its second stage of computer evolution.

• The first stage was the analog stage when computation was done with sticks, stones, levers, gears, pulleys, and string.
• Around World War II, the second stage began with the use of electricity-powered transistors.
• This stage made the development of microchips possible and shaped today’s digital landscape.

Entering Stage Three: Quantum Computing

Kaku believes the next technological stage will be in the quantum realm, which is the third stage of computer evolution.

• Quantum computing utilizes various states of particles like electrons to vastly increase a computer’s processing power.
• Quantum computers use various states of vibrating waves instead of binary notation, making them capable of solving problems much faster.

Advancements in Health Care

Kaku highlights that quantum computing could revolutionize health care beyond business applications.

• Quantum computing’s ability to analyze and understand molecules and quantum electrons can significantly advance the treatment of diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.