Language models have become incredibly proficient at mimicking human communication, yet a fundamental divide remains between how machines and humans process language.
This is so interesting, Christine. I’m wondering what’s the harm if he knows in theory what the bot truly is but still falls under its spell? It could be that the bot really did reveal an idea that landed powerfully. Tell me more about your thoughts on this. I’ve done some interviews with high school kids who have told me they appreciate the compliments until they become clearly inappropriate (overly fluffy, puffery). Interesting nuance!
Terry, thank you for raising this issue so thoughtfully. It makes me wonder: what's the shorthand for reminding ourselves, our kids, our students of this? Yesterday my 15 year old son shared his delight - Yo, ChatGPT *gets* me! - as the bot responded with empathic words as he struggled through understanding meoisis (9th grade bio). I immediately flagged the pattern matching nature of the responses, no matter how much they feel "real." And the thing is - he knows this, he is well aware, but the experience of it remains: a positively supported, productive learning struggle, centered on my son's questions. I'm looking for some kind of shorthand cue that I can deploy each time this comes up, just to keep it in our awareness, as you say.
This is so interesting, Christine. I’m wondering what’s the harm if he knows in theory what the bot truly is but still falls under its spell? It could be that the bot really did reveal an idea that landed powerfully. Tell me more about your thoughts on this. I’ve done some interviews with high school kids who have told me they appreciate the compliments until they become clearly inappropriate (overly fluffy, puffery). Interesting nuance!
Terry, thank you for raising this issue so thoughtfully. It makes me wonder: what's the shorthand for reminding ourselves, our kids, our students of this? Yesterday my 15 year old son shared his delight - Yo, ChatGPT *gets* me! - as the bot responded with empathic words as he struggled through understanding meoisis (9th grade bio). I immediately flagged the pattern matching nature of the responses, no matter how much they feel "real." And the thing is - he knows this, he is well aware, but the experience of it remains: a positively supported, productive learning struggle, centered on my son's questions. I'm looking for some kind of shorthand cue that I can deploy each time this comes up, just to keep it in our awareness, as you say.