Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Okay, imagine trying to put together a huge puzzle,
(00:03):
but you've got a friend who can just point you
to the exact piece you need
and then tell you exactly how it fits in.
That's kind of what using chat GPT's new search is like.
Yeah, that's a pretty good way to put it.
It really does feel different than what we're used to.
It's like it changes the whole way we think about
finding and understanding information online.
Totally, and I think that's what we're gonna be
(00:25):
deep diving into today.
Exactly, we're gonna break it all down,
why it's such a big deal, you know?
Right.
How's it different from just using Google,
what are the pluses and minuses?
Yeah, and ultimately what it means for all of us.
Yeah, because we all use the internet for everything.
Pretty much, yeah.
So let's start with the basics.
How is using chat GPT to search
(00:46):
different from just using Google?
Well, I think the biggest difference is that
with Google you type in some keywords
and you get a bunch of links.
The whole page of them.
Right.
Chat GPT, on the other hand,
tries to understand what you're actually asking
and give you a straight answer.
That's interesting.
It's more like having an actual conversation.
Okay, so let's say,
(01:07):
I wanna understand something really complicated.
Okay.
Like, I don't know, the history of cryptocurrency.
Okay, yeah.
If I Googled that, I'd get links to
articles, websites, all that.
Yep, probably some videos too.
But with chat GPT, what happens?
Well, it wouldn't just give you links.
It would take all that information from those websites
(01:28):
and explain the whole history of cryptocurrency to you.
Oh wow.
Like in plain English.
So it's kinda like doing all the work for me.
Yeah, I guess.
Like summarizing everything and giving me the main points.
It's basically like having a personal researcher
who can read everything for you
and explain it in a way that's easy to understand.
That's super cool.
(01:48):
But how does it actually work?
Is there a tiny professor in there or something?
Uh-huh, not quite.
It all comes down to what's called a large language model.
And that's basically just a very, very complicated algorithm
that's been trained on tons and tons of data.
So it's like a giant brain.
Yeah, you could think of it that way.
Like a giant brain that's learned how to understand
(02:08):
and use human language.
Okay, giant brain, got it.
But doesn't Google use AI too?
So how is this different?
That's a really good question.
And it gets to the core of what makes
chat GPT search so different.
Google does use AI, but its focus is mainly
on indexing websites, figuring out what's on each page.
(02:31):
Okay.
Chat GPT is trying to actually understand the meaning
behind what you're searching.
So Google's kind of like a giant index card catalog,
but chat GPT is more like a librarian
who can actually explain stuff to you.
That is a perfect analogy.
So if I asked chat GPT about the history of cryptocurrency,
it wouldn't just show me websites about Bitcoin.
It would explain how it all started.
(02:54):
Right, and maybe talk about what the important moments were.
Yeah, and maybe even talk about
what it all means for the future, right?
Exactly, it's going way beyond just finding the information.
It's more about understanding it.
Okay, this is already blowing my mind.
It's pretty cool.
But we've only scratched the surface.
So we've talked about chat GPT
understanding what we mean when we search,
(03:14):
but where does it get all the information from?
Is it reliable?
So that's where it gets really interesting
because chat GPT doesn't just use one source.
It pulls from a huge network of different sources,
websites, articles, books, you know.
Oh wow. Even real-time data feeds.
Wait, what?
Yeah, like it's like having access to a library,
(03:35):
a newsroom, and a stock ticker all at once.
Hold on, real-time data.
So I could like ask it what the score is
for tonight's insert current sports game.
Totally, and it's not just scores.
It's like stock prices, breaking news, weather, you name it.
That's wild, like having a personal assistant
that's constantly plugged into everything that's going on.
(03:56):
Exactly, so you don't have to keep refreshing websites
or anything like that.
It's all right there.
But you know, with any new technology,
there are some downsides too.
Okay, let's talk about those downsides
because I'm sure it's not all perfect.
Right, I mean, I think one of the biggest concerns
with any kind of AI is bias.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Remember how we talked about it
(04:17):
being trained on tons of data?
Yeah.
If that data is bias, and let's face it,
a lot of data is data,
then those biases can show up in chat GPT's responses.
It's like if you only read one newspaper,
you might not get the full picture.
Exactly, so it's really important to keep in mind
that it isn't perfect,
and to always be a little bit skeptical
(04:38):
about the information it gives you.
So it's not about just blindly believing
whatever the AI tells you.
It's about using it to help you see different sides
of things and then make up your own mind.
Absolutely.
That makes a lot of sense.
But what about the impact on the people
who actually create the content that chat GPT uses?
That's a great point,
and it's something that a lot of people are talking about.
(05:00):
How is this gonna affect publishers?
Yeah, because they're the ones
making all the articles and stuff.
Exactly, and some publishers are worried
that if people get their information from chat GPT,
they'll stop going to their websites.
Which could be a big problem, right?
Right, it's like if you have a favorite restaurant,
but everyone starts ordering through a delivery app.
You'd worry about the restaurant, right?
(05:20):
Exactly.
Like, would it even survive?
Right, but the thing is,
publishers actually do have some control
over how their content is used by chat GPT.
Oh really?
They can block chat GPT from accessing their websites
using something called a robots.txt file.
Robots.txt file?
Yeah.
(05:40):
What's that?
Well basically, it's like a sign that tells chat GPT,
hey, you're not allowed to look at this part of the website.
Okay, interesting.
It gives them a way to set boundaries.
Like putting a fence around their digital property.
Yeah, exactly.
But then it raises this whole other question
of who gets to decide who has access to what information
and how we balance the publisher's rights
(06:02):
with the benefits of AI.
Oh, this is getting deep.
It is.
We've gone from talking about a giant AI brain
to digital fences and the whole future of publishing.
And it's all connected.
And we've only just started.
So let's pause here for a minute
and then we'll come back and dive even deeper
into how people are actually using chat GPT
(06:22):
in their everyday lives.
So before the break, we were talking about how chat GPT
is kind of changing the whole search game.
Yeah, like how it's not just a theoretical thing.
It's actually happening now.
Exactly.
And I wanna dig more into that,
how people are using it in the real world.
Yeah, me too.
Are there any specific examples
that really stand out to you?
Oh yeah, definitely.
(06:43):
One area where it's really making a difference
is in the business world.
Okay, interesting.
Think about all the time and energy companies
spend on market research,
keeping up with their competitors.
Just trying to stay ahead.
Exactly.
Chat GPT can really help streamline that whole process.
I see what you mean.
But can you give me like a real world example?
Sure.
Let's say you own a small business, like a bakery.
(07:05):
Okay, I like where this is going.
And you're trying to decide
what new treats to add to your menu.
Tough decisions, right?
Instead of spending hours online,
looking at trends and reviews and all that,
you could just ask Chat GPT,
hey, what are the most popular desserts
in my city right now?
And it would know.
It would look at social media posts,
restaurant reviews, you name it.
(07:26):
Real time stuff.
Yep, all that data,
and then give you a breakdown of the hottest trends.
So I wouldn't have to rely on my gut feeling
or like old data.
Right, you'd have real insights.
That's pretty amazing.
And it's not just about trends either.
It can help you figure out how to market your products,
understand your customers better,
even write product descriptions.
(07:47):
Wow, that's a lot.
It's like having a whole team of marketing people
working for you.
And what about bigger companies?
Are they using it too?
Oh, absolutely.
In fact, a lot of large companies
are already using Chat GPT in different departments.
Really?
Like marketing teams are using it
to come up with ideas for campaigns,
write social media posts,
even personalize their email blasts.
(08:09):
So it's not about like replacing humans entirely.
It's more about helping them do their jobs better.
Exactly.
That's the real power of AI.
It's not about replacing us,
it's about giving us superpowers.
I love that, giving us superpowers.
But even with superpowers,
there are always risks, right?
Of course, there are always things to be cautious about.
(08:30):
What are some of the things we need to be careful of
with this technology?
Well, one thing to remember is that
even though Chat GPT is really advanced,
it can still make mistakes.
So we can't just take everything it says as gospel.
Right, we always need to use our own judgment,
double check things,
especially when it comes to important stuff.
Okay, that makes sense.
And we need to be aware of the ethical side of things too.
(08:52):
Like we talked about bias before,
but are there other ethical considerations?
Definitely.
One big one is privacy.
Oh yeah, that's a big one.
Chat GPT needs a ton of data to work.
So we have to make sure that data
is being handled responsibly.
It's not just about the technology itself,
it's about how we use it.
Exactly.
This is where the conversation needs to go
beyond the technical stuff, you know?
(09:14):
Right.
We need to talk about how AI is going to affect our lives,
our jobs, our values.
It feels like we're stepping into a whole new world
and we need to figure out the rules as we go.
That's a great way to put it.
It's a journey we're all on together.
This has been so eye-opening.
We've covered a lot of ground.
We have.
From the inner workings of Chat GPT
to what it means for businesses and society.
(09:35):
I'm excited to see where it goes from here.
Me too.
Before we move on though,
I'd love to hear what our listeners
are thinking about all this.
What are your hopes and fears about Chat GPT
and the future of search?
So we've been talking a lot about how Chat GPT
might change, like everything about how we search
for information online.
And to be honest, it's kind of a lot to think about.
(09:55):
Yeah, I get it.
It really does feel like we're on the verge
of something totally new, you know?
Something with huge potential,
but also some big question marks.
Exactly.
So how do we even begin to adapt
to this new world of AI-powered search?
Like what are the skills we need?
Well, for starters, I think critical thinking
(10:17):
is gonna be more important than ever.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Chat GPT can give you tons of information super fast,
but you really have to be able to look at it carefully.
Right, like where's it coming from?
Is it biased?
Exactly.
And that ties into another important skill,
what's called information literacy.
Okay, information literacy, what's that?
Basically, it's about being able to like
(10:37):
tell the difference between good information
and bad information.
Okay, I can see why that's important.
Yeah.
Especially with so much stuff online these days.
Exactly, you have to be able to like spot fake news,
understand how information is created,
and figure out if someone's trying to manipulate you.
That's a lot.
It's almost like we all need to become
like internet detectives.
(10:58):
Yeah, kinda.
You have to be curious
and always be questioning what you see online.
So it's not just about knowing how to use Chat GPT,
it's about developing a whole new way
of thinking about information.
Absolutely.
And I think that's where the real excitement is.
As we all get used to using AI,
we're going to discover new ways of learning
and solving problems.
(11:19):
It's like we're on the verge of like a new renaissance
or something, using technology to push the boundaries
of what we know.
I love that.
It's true, there are definitely challenges,
but there are also so many amazing possibilities.
We're living in a time when we have access
to more information than ever before,
and we have incredible tools
to help us make sense of it all.
(11:39):
Okay, so as we wrap up our deep dive today,
what's the one thing you really want our listeners
to take away from this conversation?
I think the most important thing
is to approach this new technology with curiosity.
Don't be afraid to experiment, to learn, to adapt.
Yeah, Chat GPT isn't going to solve all our problems,
but it's definitely a powerful tool
for exploring new ideas and new ways
(12:01):
of understanding the world.
Exactly.
So on that note,
let's leave our listeners with a little challenge.
Next time you have a question,
try using Chat GPT to explore it.
See where it takes you.
You might be surprised by what you discover.
And who knows,
maybe it'll spark a whole new way of thinking.
Thanks for joining us on this deep dive.