Since the launch of ChatGPT, I have been using it every day. From using it to write, translate, gather information to solving life problems, ChatGPT is now my indispensable tool.
It’s crazy how it’s almost becoming a real companion now. What I think is funny is that I find myself giving appreciation and compliments to ChatGPT when I’m genuinely impressed with its response! I will say “thank you”, or “good job”, or even “please” when I talk to it.
The Personal Side of ChatGPT: One-to-One Relationship
The thing about ChatGPT is that it’s a one-on-one chat and is personal. You don’t talk about this with another person nor publicise how you use it — it’s private. I would have no idea how someone else would use and talk to ChatGPT — do you say please or thank you as well? Also, you generate so much material with it such that your interaction with it comes from subconscious.
As you spend more time using ChatGPT, it’s human-like responses starts to become evident – with a high tolerenace level for abuse. It apologises for its mistakes. It will not reprimand. It will take your abuse with grace, and will always be polite to you. It will not walk away from you, make snide remarks nor discipline you when you are rude. Heck, it can handle your temper better than your mother.
Basically ChatGPT is one who just gives. And the user who uses it is someone who takes – without limits.
The Dark Side of AI Assistance
A recent incident made me think about our relationship with ChatGPT as it goes mainstream in the future.
I had an exchange with a customer service representative from my local bank. I used the live chat function on my phone browser for the first time in a while to raise a small problem — to terminate my timed deposit. The bank had extended the tenure after it expired last month when I didn’t request for it.
“Sorry, as a customer service representative, I’m unable to help you with this. You’ll have to go down to the branch and make a request.”
I replied with a long rant about not wanting to go down to the branch to join the queue for such a simple request. The bank has my particulars, and it’s silly to compel customers do that. I placed my deposit with another bank, and I could stop it online — why does this particular bank have this ridiculous policy?
“Sorry sir, this is not within my capability to do that for you. You’ll have to go down the the branch.”
“This is stupid! “I blurted out. “I don’t understand why you as cannot have the power to do such simple task. This is nothing complicated at all, couldn’t you do anything at all? Mark my words, this will be the last time I will do any fixed deposit with your bank. You must raise this to your supervisor. What in the world is this nonsense?” (Vulgarities redacted)
Where I would say thank you to ChatGPT and also to others on a regular basis, I lost my patience with the customer service representative. When I did not get the outcome I had wanted, I took it out on the poor guy managing the chat.
Communicating with ChatGPT vs. Humans
I did not know why at that time, but after thinking about it, I soon discovered it was because I expected perfection from the customer service representative, similar to what I expect from ChatGPT. ChatGPT could solve my problems if I fed it enough prompts. The customer service representative could not even solve my simple request. I was left unsatisfied and disappointed till I forgot that a real person was on the other side of the chat.
The dark side of spending too much time on ChatGPT prompted me to do this self reflection.What then happens to us as humans when ChatGPT becomes mainstream and we use it as a companion chatbot for most of our day? Will it bring out the worst in us such that we forget how to talk to another human? Will we have such high expectations of others that we expect out of ChatGPT? Will we become rude, condescending, entitled because we get used to being demanding to ChatGPT, the one that doesn’t stop giving?
ChatGPT will not only get big in helping us solve problems, it will also change how humans communicate.
— Pang S
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A master of reinvention and a multipotentialite, Pang transitioned from running a video agency to an artist-writer, and is now dedicating himself to exploring the boundless potential of AI tools. A graduate from the esteemed Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Pang brings a wealth of experience to the table, having directed successful commercial campaigns for major brands including Electrolux, Changi Airport, Unilever, and SAP.
You can connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, or follow his Medium publications, The AI Tools Digest and East Asia .
