Is ChatGPT Full of Bullshit?

It is undeniable that conversational agents took the world by storm. Chatbots such as ChatGPT (Generative Pre Trained) are used for translations, financial advice, and even as therapists, by millions of users every month. When interacting with technology it’s important to be careful, especially if we do so by using natural language, since our relationship with artificial agents is shaped by the technology’s features and the manufacturer's goal. The paper, organized into three sections, explores the question of whether ChatGPT’s production can be described as ‘bullshit’. In the first section, the focus is on ChatGPT’s architecture and development; in the second a new formulation of the concept of Frankfurt’s ‘bullshit’ is presented, in which its central features of indifference, deception and manipulation are highlighted; in the last section, the title question is tackled, proposing an affirmative answer to it, arguing that ChatGPT can be considered a ‘bullshit’ generator.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies
Published
2024-11-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.55613/jeet.v34i1.149
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Misinformation and Its Impacts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
6.79
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article

Is ChatGPT Full of Bullshit?

Laura Gorrieri
6 citations
Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies
Misinformation and Its Impacts
6.79
article

Is ChatGPT Full of Bullshit?

Laura Gorrieri
article en
6 citations

Abstract

It is undeniable that conversational agents took the world by storm. Chatbots such as ChatGPT (Generative Pre Trained) are used for translations, financial advice, and even as therapists, by millions of users every month. When interacting with technology it’s important to be careful, especially if we do so by using natural language, since our relationship with artificial agents is shaped by the technology’s features and the manufacturer's goal. The paper, organized into three sections, explores the question of whether ChatGPT’s production can be described as ‘bullshit’. In the first section, the focus is on ChatGPT’s architecture and development; in the second a new formulation of the concept of Frankfurt’s ‘bullshit’ is presented, in which its central features of indifference, deception and manipulation are highlighted; in the last section, the title question is tackled, proposing an affirmative answer to it, arguing that ChatGPT can be considered a ‘bullshit’ generator.

Journal of Ethics and Emerging TechnologiesVol. 34(1)
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Misinformation and Its Impacts
6.79
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