An Interview with The Voice of the Future
Lots of buzz has surrounded the new technology ChatGPT as it has been heralded as everything from the next Google to the end of human labour. Some think that ChatGPT will destroy the arts, becoming the zeitgeist of all culture with hardly any of the cost; replacing writers and artists alike.
The point of this article is not to make any claims about what is or isn’t about to become our future, but instead to interview a voice that we might be hearing a lot more of in our future. This article is an exercise in testing ChatGPT and its verbal reasoning skills in order to better understand responses we might see in the future; in entertainment, in web searches, and in news articles.
Although before continuing it should be clarified that ChatGPT works by feeding an AI various sample texts from all over the internet, thus it amalgamates this information and returns what can almost be thought of as an “averaged” response to your prompt. So the answers ChatGPT responds with aren’t necessarily revolutionary, in fact, reading this article you may realise you already know about or agree with many of ChatGPT’s answers.
QnA
Interview notes: i limited chatgpt’s responses to just a paragraph
Why is representation important?
I started off with a simple question to gauge the AI’s level of complexity
Representation is important because it has a significant impact on how individuals see themselves and how they are seen by others. When people see themselves represented in media, it can help validate their experiences and identities, increase their self-esteem, and create a sense of belonging. On the other hand, when certain groups are consistently excluded or portrayed negatively in media, it can lead to feelings of invisibility, marginalisation, and discrimination. Representation also has the power to shape societal attitudes and beliefs about different groups, impact real-world outcomes, and promote a more equitable and inclusive society.
Which groups aren’t represented in the media?
I wanted to further build off of the first question until I found an interesting conversational hook
There are many groups that are historically underrepresented or misrepresented in media, including people of colour, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. While progress has been made in recent years to increase representation and diversity in media, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all groups are accurately and respectfully represented. Additionally, there are many intersecting identities and experiences that may not be represented, such as individuals who belong to multiple marginalised groups.
Which intersectional identities are the least represented?
It’s point about intersectionality was particularly salient and I wanted to push further into how deep it’s knowledge went
It is difficult to pinpoint which intersectional identities are the least represented, as different groups may experience varying levels of representation and marginalisation depending on the context and media type. However, some examples of intersectional identities that are often underrepresented or misrepresented in media include individuals who identify as both LGBTQ+ and people of colour, people with disabilities who also belong to marginalised racial or ethnic groups, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who also belong to marginalised racial or ethnic groups. It is important to recognize the complexity and diversity of identities and experiences, and to work towards promoting more inclusive and accurate representation across all groups.
Why do intersectional identities' representation matter if they are such a marginal minority in society?
I asked a very biased leading question to see whether or not ChatGPT would pick up on the nuance of it or fall for it
Even if certain intersectional identities are a minority in society, their representation in media still matters because it has a significant impact on how they are perceived and treated by others. When individuals from marginalised or underrepresented groups do not see themselves accurately represented in media, it can contribute to feelings of isolation, invisibility, and self-doubt. It can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to discrimination and systemic inequality. By promoting more inclusive and accurate representation of intersectional identities, we can help promote understanding, empathy, and social justice for all individuals, regardless of their background or identity.
How can we ensure individuals from diverse backgrounds are involved in media production?
Some ways to ensure diversity in media production include actively recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups, creating mentorship and training programs to support their career development, and fostering a culture of inclusion within media organisations. Additionally, providing funding and resources for diverse independent media projects can help amplify marginalised voices and promote more inclusive representation in media.
How do you propose the average Australian do these things if they are not part of the media industry?
There are several ways that the average Australian can support diversity in media, even if they are not part of the industry. One approach is to actively seek out and support media content from diverse creators and perspectives, whether through watching TV shows and movies or reading books and articles. This can help promote the visibility and success of underrepresented voices and encourage media organizations to invest in more diverse content. Additionally, individuals can use their social media platforms and personal networks to amplify voices from underrepresented groups, and to call out instances of bias and discrimination in media. Finally, supporting and donating to organizations that promote diversity and inclusion in media, such as advocacy groups and film festivals, can also make a difference.
How do you think AI should be represented?
As an AI language model, I do not have a personal opinion, but generally speaking, the representation of AI in media should be fair and accurate. It is important to avoid perpetuating negative stereotypes or fear-mongering about AI, while also acknowledging the potential risks and benefits of the technology. Positive representation that showcases the potential of AI to solve complex problems and improve people's lives can also help build trust and understanding of this technology. Additionally, it is important to emphasise the human role in creating and using AI, and to promote diversity and inclusion in the development and deployment of AI systems.
Conclusion
All in all, ChatGPT performed as expected; giving answers which might be characterised as predictable and “safe”. It won’t make inflammatory or accusatory statements, and the content of its statements, while not particularly insightful, were summaries of what one would expect to see if they read 20 articles on a certain topic.
Next time when you read something on the internet, consider the structure of the information and the inoffensiveness of the content, you may just be reading an article written by ChatGPT.
Sources:
https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-chatgpt-7094342
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT: A discussion on diversity in media and representation [Msg 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]. Retrieved from the OpenAI GPT-3.5 language model.