Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary, ChatGPT! Here are 5 ways you’ve already changed the world
ChatGPT was born two years ago amid a wave of hyperbolic hype, skepticism and outright fear. The AI chatbot didn’t immediately lead us to digital heaven, take over every job, or become sentient and send robots with Austrian accents after us, but ChatGPT has still had a major impact on the lives of many people.
For ChatGPT’s second anniversary, I’ve rounded up some of the most remarkable (if not always noble) ways OpenAI’s experiment with a digital sidekick has changed many people’s daily lives. I have to say that while I asked ChatGPT for examples of how it has changed the world, the AI was self-deprecating about how it hasn’t, or insisted that everyone’s lives are radically changed by its presence in ways similar to the Matrix. films more than reality. But even if you’re not one to use the AI chatbot for all of the following examples, I’m willing to bet you know someone who has at least experimented with this. Here are five ways ChatGPT has become a part of people’s lives, big and small:
Homework Houdini
Teachers and school administrators quickly noticed what ChatGPT could do for students. Lazy students might ignore hallucinations or terrible wording to turn in terrible papers, but those were easy to root out and give an F. Smarter students could improve their work and research with ChatGPT and not always get caught. OpenAI quickly worked with educational organizations to come up with useful ways to use the AI chatbot, with fun study tools and helpful guides for complex topics.
But the bigger impact was probably the change in the way teachers deliver their lessons. Some have relied on extra strict rules for using ChatGPT, while others have replaced essays with oral reports or projects where students can’t trust ChatGPT to do everything for them. Thanks to ChatGPT, homework disappears.
ChefGPT
Some have always known how to turn whatever is in the freezer and cupboard into a culinary delight, but for others, ChatGPT has become a tool for sorting out our meals.
ChatGPT has given everyone the ability to describe what’s in the pantry, and later just upload a photo of what’s available to get a list of dish ideas, including recipe. Or maybe you saw something on a cooking show that you’d like to try, but adapted to your taste or dietary restrictions; the AI chatbot has you covered. With the caveat that you want to make sure he hasn’t hallucinated anything dangerous, you can quickly be on your way to a delicious dinner. And your AI sous chef is on standby if you make a mistake along the way.
DIY coding buddy
Once upon a time, wannabe programmers had to scour GitHub for Frankenstein projects, templates, and snippets to build an app or website. Now many are turning to ChatGPT as their coding partner of choice. Why browse the repositories when you can ask ChatGPT to “write a Python script to rename 1000 files in a folder” or “explain recursion as if I were five”? It’s fast, simple, and avoids the endless GitHub rabbit holes.
On the plus side, ChatGPT makes encryption more accessible. You don’t have to be a tech wizard to get started; it’s like having a patient (and absurdly knowledgeable) teacher who can explain code, debug errors, or even write entire functions from scratch.
Of course, that leaves GitHub’s collaborative community stranded. Open source projects on GitHub aren’t just about copying and pasting; it’s about learning from others, contributing to shared goals and understanding best practices. ChatGPT doesn’t teach you why a line of code works; it just makes it so. That’s great for convenience, but not so great for developing deeper programming skills or giving back to the broader developer ecosystem.
Fantasy on the screen
Gone are the days when creating stunning images required years of practice or expensive software. ChatGPT’s image generation allows anyone to produce complex illustrations, design concepts, or even memes in minutes.
Aspiring artists use it to brainstorm ideas, and people are bringing their imaginations to life, which is great in many ways. That said, AI-generated imagery is also likely to spark debates or outright fights if you’re not careful.
Does AI-generated art undermine other forms of visual creation or simply make them more accessible? Is it a tribute or theft to your favorite artist’s creation? Whatever you think about it, it has made posting any image a lot more difficult than it used to be.
Cyrano AI
ChatGPT changed the way people talk to each other. Southpark wrote a whole episode (helped by ChatGPT) about kids using the AI chatbot to figure out how to respond to romantic partners. As satirical as that version may be, it also has a reality.
Many people have asked the AI for help navigating social and romantic situations. It’s like having Cyrano de Bergerac in your pocket, minus the tragic ending and the excessive ruffles. ChatGPT has served as an interpreter for cryptic messages and broken down how to end things with someone you don’t like without causing a scene.
It used to be that a text message you sent was seen and discussed by all the recipient’s friends. Now you have to keep in mind that it will also be analyzed by an AI confidante. It’s not just romance either. The AI offers everything from ideas on how to dress for a party to good icebreakers at a networking event.
