ChatGPT a/k/a chat box a/k/a chatbot, cannot discern what is real or not, nor does it know what is correct or incorrect. Chat boxes homogenize existing information from the internet and cobble it together to sound like a human wrote it. It may gather correct and real information along with science fiction information or nonsense widely found on the internet and include it in a final product that is presented as real and current information written by a person. That said, in an article by the Washington Post on 4/3/2023, ChatGPT has a 98% accuracy overall. What about that pesky 2%? Can ChatGPT be manipulated and why is there even a 2%?
Therein lies the rub. The problem with ChatGPT is that there is no fact checker for a chatbot. Additionally, a bad actor can intentionally spread false information on a topic all over the internet, ChatGPT may gather this information and present it as truth, thus providing a false or incorrect understanding of a situation or the world. How can ChatGPT be fact-checked? For now, Google the points made in the ChatGPT results but this can be arduous and tedious, and more importantly, defeat the purpose of using ChatGPT in the first place.
A possible answer to the fact-checking problem presented by renowned physicist, Michio Kaku, in a recent interview is quantum computing. Quantum computing is the next BIG THING that will change the human experience and will disrupt EVERY known industry.
Admittedly, quantum computing was way too overwhelming of a concept for me to fully wrap my head around. The best way for me to understand why it is a possible solution is to understand the difference between a chatbot and quantum computing. The most basic difference is that ChatGPT is like a writer that puts together information and quantum computing may someday be used as an editor of that information. A chatbot is a software, whereas quantum computing relates to hardware. Where chatbot gathers and rearranges pre-existing essays (whether they are true/correct or not true/incorrect), quantum computing relates to physical matter or hardware that has great computation power and may someday soon be able to objectively compute vast amounts of data to fact check the results and provide gradations of what is correct or incorrect.
My personal WARNING - Do not allow chat boxes to merge with quantum computers because that is how Skynet was created and this can all end as human beings being slaves to computers.
Sources:
Fowler, Geoffrey, The Washington Post, "We tested a new ChatGPT-detector for teachers. It flagged an innocent student." 4/3/2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/01/chatgpt-cheating-detection-turnitin/
Interview, Michio Kaku, The Joe Rogan Experience, "#1980" 5/2/2023
Wikipedia: Quantum Computing 5/3/2023