We are at the dawn of a new age called “Transhumanism.” It’s a philosophical construct that expounds on the idea that humans can surpass the limits that natural evolution has set on them through the use of technological advancements. The gist of it is that we can enhance ourselves beyond our current physical and intellectual capabilities by integrating technology into our bodies and mind.
In its simplest form, it could be as simple as using glasses to see with clarity, or wearing hearing aids to hear well. The concept could become as farfetched as having brain implants and artificial limbs which turn us into super-humans.
While the idea used to reside primarily in science-fiction, it is now manifesting itself in the real world, particularly with the advent of ChatGPT.
So what is ChatGPT? To put it very simply, have you ever wished you had a really smart friend who could answer pretty much whatever question you may have on a wide range of topics? Well, look no further, because that's what ChatGPT is in a nutshell. You could describe it as software-as-a-friend (SAAF). I'm sort of joking, but that would be an apt description. It is essentially a computer application which uses natural language in order to produce answers. Rather than having to learn traditional computer programming, you simply craft what is referred to as a "prompt", which is essentially a command you give it in the language of your choice, be it English, French, etc. In other words, it's software that you talk to. This puts what can be achieved with computer assistance to a whole new level. Think of a struggle you are facing, and the chances are that ChatGPT can help you with it in some way.
Now, this worries some people that the advent of this technology will replace many humans in their professional careers in a wide spectrum of activities, from customer reps, to journalists, all the way to doctors and lawyers.
No one knows for sure, but in any case, the proverbial genie isn't going back in the bottle: it's here for good. What may be more likely to occur, is that before ChatGPT takes your job away, another human will have been using it to increase their productivity and displace you in the process.
It therefore behooves you to look into what is has on offer for you and learn its ropes -- you can do it. In other words, there's an oncoming rat race, and you're likely to be in it of your own free will or not.
Assuming you decide to integrate ChatGPT into your workflow, what mindset should you adopt when working with it? Will you simply try and have it entirely perform the task on your behalf? Well, if that's your grand plan, then I would argue that you've already decided that it will indeed eventually replace you. See what I'm getting at?
Instead, you might want to consider using it to augment you (back to the transhumanism concept).
Let's examine the difference.
For instance, I could have told ChatGPT to write this entire text. Rather, I used it as a starting point and wrote my own blog post. In places, I have utilized some of its recommendations -- much as if I had had access to a personal human assistant -- because they have augmented my post. In any case, I didn’t use ChatGPT lock, stock and barrel to replace my work and effort. By using it to elevate my intellectual output, I produced the final product faster and with likely better results. It has still been human-produced, and not robot-produced.
That is the basic point I am aiming to put forth.
I personally welcome any new game-changing technology which can help me navigate through all the information that's available in the world, and particularly online, and allow me get to the important nuggets at lightning speed.
In terms of some suggestions of what else Chat GPT can help you with -- beyond your own initial exploration and intuition -- ChatGPT excels at generating creative content, answering questions in multiple formats, such as text, bullet points, tables, etc. It does translation. It can offer personalized recommendations for movies, books, and other things. It can be your tutor, allowing you to grasp the fundamentals of pretty much any subject your heart longs for. It can brainstorm with you. It's a personalized chatbot. It can review or write computer code. It's a problem solver, a proofreader, a counsellor, a health coach, a data analyst, and much more. It can even act as a friend and companion.
Must I say more?
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