By Alison Butz
Artificial Intelligence has become quite scary in light of the latest trend on social media, where AI can create made up scenarios of whatever you tell it to do. For example, I could theoretically ask AI to produce an image of Tom Hanks dressed in a chicken costume eating a hot dog.
Recently, Instagram introduced an ability to chat with AI using celebrities’ likeness. For example, you can see Kylie Jenner’s face speaking under the name of “Billie.” Snapchat is also doing something with AI, where you can have conversations with “My AI.”
But AI can be useful, I could even ask ChatGPT to produce a list of dishes that I could bring to a potluck, which I did. It gave me a list of 20 appetizer dishes, even with a reminder to take into consideration dietary restrictions or allergies. Some of these appetizers I have never even heard of and others are general potluck items.
Taking it a step further, I asked ChatGPT to create a recipe for a dish I make frequently, potato soup. The AI-created recipe is super fancy with the use of a dutch oven and garnishes. There could be a new Gordan Ramsey reality show where he uses the recipes that AI generates.
I think it’s worthwhile to be using AI to find recipes based on items you have at home already. It could even be for the times when you just don’t know what to make, or even just a meal plan for the week.
AI can be scarily accurate with recipes and all, but when it comes to using it for writing papers, that’s when the discrepancies can show up. Sure, it can get the base facts down, but when you start asking it for very specific dates or times, it’ll start to show inaccuracy.
My professors always say their warnings about AI use throughout the semester saying that we could technically use AI in our papers, but it has to be sourced correctly. However, the use of AI with the proper sourcings is questionable because it would only be considered as a secondary source.
In my honest opinion, I believe Wikipedia is more reliable than ChatGPT when it comes to “researching” events or people. When it comes to finding recipes or even costume ideas, AI can be very resourceful because it gives answers minus the tedious research process.
If you’re into comedy, you can even ask AI to tell you a joke about any subject at all, even about itself. Granted, the jokes are not good at all, peak dad humor at best.
People obviously have their concerns with AI, especially with it being used by major social media apps and the whole conversation about stealing data comes into view. I do not see the problem with using it for harmless things like finding recipes and joke telling.
However, I do see the concern when it comes to people using it for actual friendships, relationships, and spreading misinformation. Just like when Snapchat’s “My AI” posted to its story earlier of a generic ceiling, and everyone freaked out thinking it took a picture through their own phone.