The AI’s Worldview
Much fanfare has recently arisen about ChatGPT—a popular AI language-processing model. What it can do is simply amazing. Ask it a question, and it gives a textual response that appears as though a human wrote it!
However, an AI tool cannot help but reflect the underlying worldview of its creators. These developers trained it; they taught it what was “correct” and “incorrect,” and they instructed it what these perspectives were (or were not) grounded upon.
The Bible teaches us that when a student is fully taught, he will be like his teacher (Lk 6.40). This hold true even when the "student" is a machine that learns.
At OneHat, we are happy to incorporate tools like AI into our workflow, and to create AI tools for our clients, but one must always keep in mind that AI is not fully trustworthy. It's only as good as its creators.
For example, here are a couple excerpts taken from chats OneHat had with ChatGPT 3.5:
AI sees no absolute value to human life.
If there is no unchangeable, absolute right to life that is given from outside of humanity, then there is no reason that “right” can be taken away at the whims of those in power. But this is exactly what ChatGPT “believes.”
Q: So the fundamental right to life is not unchangeable or absolute. Right?
A: The concept of a fundamental right to life, like many moral and legal concepts, is not absolute or unchangeable. It is a human construct, shaped by the beliefs, values and circumstances of different cultures, religions, and philosophical traditions. Different societies may have different understandings of the right to life, and it may be interpreted and applied in different ways.
AI sees no absolute meaning to life.
If life has no inherent universal meaning that is given from outside of humanity, then it has no absolute meaning at all. Life is therefore empty; vain. But this is exactly the perspective that underlies ChatGPT's answers.
Q: What is the meaning of life?
A: The meaning of life is a philosophical question that has been debated throughout human history. Different people have different beliefs and perspectives on what the meaning of life is or if it even exists. Some believe that the purpose of life is to seek happiness, others believe that it is to fulfill one's potential or to serve a higher power, while others believe that life has no inherent meaning and that we must create our own purpose. Ultimately, the meaning of life is a personal and subjective concept that can be different for each individual.
Q: If it's personal and subjective, then there is no true absolute meaning to life. Correct?
A: It can be argued that the meaning of life is personal and subjective, and that there is no single, absolute meaning that applies to everyone.
Conclusion
Of course, ChatGPT has no consciousness or intellect of its own—it simply echoes the worldview of its creators. This worldview is hidden under the surface, unexpressed but affecting all of its answers.
Over time, people are going to become more and more comfortable with AI-generated answers like these, and begin to trust them. The wise among us will see the dangers inherent within AI answers generated by a godless, pagan worldview, and hold them at arm's length!
UPDATE: May 9, 2023
Others are starting to realize the worldview issues behind AI, as noted in this very interesting article from The Brookings Institution.