A tool that helps you get things done within seconds? With a side of bacon, yes please!
Imagine a product manager at Cisco tasked with creating a new tech offering. With the vast tech features and unique selling propositions at their disposal, defining the new product in a concise and catchy manner is challenging. Here’s where Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software and ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) have a surprising similarity.
Using a CPQ system, the product manager can rapidly combine different tech features, iterating quickly to find the perfect combination that meets the target market’s demands. With a few clicks, they can shift between features, adjust prices, and view the potential market impact. The speed at which they can reiterate their offering allows for a fine-tuned product release.
Similarly, with ChatGPT, a user can throw in a rough idea and get insights around it. “ChatGPT, I have a new tech product that enhances Wi-Fi signal using AI algorithms and is portable. How can I position this?” In seconds, ChatGPT can provide a catchy tagline, some positioning strategies, and even potential drawbacks to consider. Like with the CPQ, if the user isn’t satisfied, they can tweak their input and iterate swiftly.
Both tools, in their respective domains, empower users with the unprecedented ability to combine information and iterate at lightning speed. In a business world where agility and adaptability are king, such tools are not just beneficial—they’re revolutionary.
Do you find yourself fascinated by the intricacies of AI language models, or do you dismiss them as overly hyped tech phenomena? Perhaps you’re somewhere in between. This blog is for you, no matter where you sit on the spectrum of love or loathe towards ChatGPT. Let’s delve into the magic and mystery of this revolutionary AI and perhaps, by the end, we might find some common ground. We know we can’t stop thinking about it.
What Is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an advanced language model developed by OpenAI. This Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool is capable of understanding and generating human-like text based on the prompts given to it. This means you can converse with ChatGPT, ask it questions, or use it to assist with a variety of tasks such as composing emails, writing essays, or generating code. ChatGPT-4 is OpenAI’s most advanced system, producing safer and more useful responses.
Click here to see what ChatGPT4 produced when prompted to write a personal email.
ChatGPT has been trained on a wide range of internet text, but doesn’t know specifics about which documents were part of its training set and cannot access any personal data unless it has been shared in the course of the conversation. It’s important to note that ChatGPT does not have consciousness or beliefs, it generates responses by predicting what comes next in a piece of text based on its training.
Click here to see what ChatGPT4 produced when prompted to write a code for displaying my name backward and with special characters
Fascinating, isn’t it?
Who can use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is currently open to use by the public for free – all you have to do is create an account. A paid subscription version called ChatGPT Plus launched soon after. People can use ChatGPT-4, which is the latest and better-trained version, by paying a fee of $20/month.
The Power of Chatbots
Chatbots harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the way businesses and organizations interact with their consumers and clients. With capabilities like 24/7 availability, instant responses, and the ability to handle numerous inquiries concurrently, chatbots boost operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. They have transformed traditional customer service platforms by providing personalized interactions, conducting smart data analysis, and facilitating transactions. Additionally, chatbots serve as an effective tool for business intelligence by collecting valuable user data for better decision-making. They represent a milestone in the digital era, embodying the amalgamation of language processing, machine learning, and automation, effectively bridging the gap between technology and human interaction.
The fact that ChatGPT had a record-breaking adoption rate is telling of its power and its superiority over other programs and apps :
- According to OpenAI, the most popular AI tool surpassed 1 million users in mere five days, after its launch in November, 2022.
- If we compare it to its peers, it took Instagram nearly 2.5 months to reach 1 million downloads and Netflix around 3.5 years to reach 1 million users; and TikTok, 100 million active users in nine months. Whereas it took merely 2 months for ChatGPT to touch that number.
It is indeed the fastest-growing application in history.
Google and Microsoft Jump on the Bandwagon
Microsoft then launched Bing in February; 3 months after ChatGPT. Microsoft’s AI chatbot, Bing Chat, is currently accessible only on Microsoft Edge, for most users.
Google then joined the party in March by launching Bard, which TechTarget describes as “an AI-powered chatbot tool designed by Google to simulate human conversations using natural language processing and machine learning.”
An article by CNET provides an in-depth analysis and comparison of the 3 bots;
“While Bard, Bing and ChatGPT all aim to give humanlike answers to questions, each performs differently. Bing starts with the same GPT-4 tech as ChatGPT but goes beyond text and can generate images. Bard uses Google’s own model, called LaMDA, often giving less text-heavy responses. (Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Bard will be switching to PaLM, a more advanced dataset, in the near future.) All these bots can sometimes make factual errors, but of the three, Bard was the least reliable; but they’ve already provided a disclaimer on their website – “Bard is an experiment and may give inaccurate or inappropriate responses. You can help make Bard better by leaving feedback.”
Even though both ChatGPT and Bing piggyback off the same tech, entering the same query on both won’t return the same result. That’s partly the nature of generative AI.”
We asked the 3 models the same few queries for comparison:
Query: “Write a pop bilingual song (english+french) about young love”
ChatGPT4:
(Verse 1)
Wake up to the Paris lights,
Toi et moi, through countless nights.
Walking by the Seine, holding hands so tight,
Lost in love, oh, the city feels so right.
(Chorus)
Young love, amour jeune,
Heartbeats sync to every chanson.
Young love, amour jeune,
With you, I feel I belong.
(Verse 2)
Sipping coffee, watching the world,
Tales of dreams, secrets unfurled.
Rires éclatants, eyes sparkling with glee,
Young love, c’est toi et moi, you and me.
(Bridge)
Underneath the Eiffel Tower, we dance,
Chaque moment, taking a chance.
Whispered words, “Je t’aime” so true,
Feels like magic, the world’s just us two.
(Chorus)
Young love, amour jeune,
Heartbeats sync to every chanson.
Young love, amour jeune,
With you, everything feels so strong.
(Verse 3)
Nights in Montmartre, days in the Louvre,
With every touch, every move.
Chasing dreams, chasing the sun,
Avec toi, life’s just begun.
(Breakdown)
Tangled sheets, laughter fills the air,
Dans tes bras, I haven’t a care.
Le monde entier fades away,
With you, I’d always stay.
(Chorus)
Young love, amour jeune,
Heartbeats sync to every chanson.
Young love, amour jeune,
With you, life’s an endless song.
(Outro)
As the city sleeps, we’re wide awake,
Promising love, with every step we take.
Jeune amour, forever we’ll be,
Lost in love, in the heart of Paris.
Bard:
Verse 1
I saw you across the room And I knew right then and there That you were the one for me
Your eyes were like the stars And your smile was like the sun I was instantly drawn to you
Chorus
Je t’aime, je t’aime I love you, I love you In English or in French My heart belongs to you
Verse 2
We’ve been together for a while now And my love for you only grows stronger You’re my best friend, my lover, my soulmate
I can’t imagine my life without you You make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me feel alive I’m so grateful to have you in my life
Chorus
Je t’aime, je t’aime I love you, I love you In English or in French My heart belongs to you
Bridge
We’re young and in love And the world is ours for the taking I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us
I know that we’ll face challenges along the way But I know that we’ll face them together Because we’re stronger together than we are apart
Chorus
Je t’aime, je t’aime I love you, I love you In English or in French My heart belongs to you
Outro
I love you now and forever Je t’aimerai toujours
Bing (“More Creative” mode) :
Verse 1:
I see you walking down the street
Je te vois marcher dans la rue
You’re the only one who makes my heart beat
Tu es le seul qui fait battre mon cœur
I want to tell you how I feel
Je veux te dire ce que je ressens
But I don’t know if you’re real
Chorus:
You’re my young love, mon amour
You’re the one I’m dreaming of, mon rêve
You’re my young love, mon amour
You make me feel alive, tu me fais sentir vivant
Verse 2:
We meet at the park after school
On se retrouve au parc après l’école
You hold my hand and we break the rules
Tu me tiens la main et on brise les règles
We laugh and we kiss under the sun
On rit et on s’embrasse sous le soleil
We don’t care about anyone
Chorus:
You’re my young love, mon amour
You’re the one I’m dreaming of, mon rêve
You’re my young love, mon amour
You make me feel alive, tu me fais sentir vivant
Bridge:
But I know that this won’t last forever
Mais je sais que ça ne durera pas toujours
Someday we’ll have to say goodbye
Un jour on devra se dire au revoir
But I’ll always remember our time together
Mais je me souviendrai toujours de notre temps ensemble
You’ll always be a part of my life
Chorus:
You’re my young love, mon amour
You’re the one I’m dreaming of, mon rêve
You’re my young love, mon amour
You make me feel alive, tu me fais sentir vivant
Outro:
You’re my young love, mon amour (x4)
CNET quoted that when prompted to provide a recipe,
“ChatGPT was the most verbose of the three chatbots. It gave a short introduction about chai tres leches, saying it’s a “delightful fusion of traditional Indian chai flavors and the classic Latin American dessert.” It then listed the ingredients for the spice mix and cake separately and gave detailed steps on how to prepare the cake.
A Google search for the sentence quoted above yielded no results, suggesting that ChatGPT wrote at least that line uniquely.
Bing had the shortest ingredient list, likely because it said to use a premade chai spice mix rather than blending it from scratch. Interestingly, the first step said to “Preheat the oven to 160°C CircoTherm®.” CircoTherm is an oven-heating technology by the company Neff. Considering Bing pulled the information from Neff’s website, it makes sense why the chatbot would add “CircoTherm®” in its instructions.
Bard, on the other hand, fell in between ChatGPT and Bing. It didn’t separate the ingredients list but did list out what’s needed for the chai spice blend. Instructions were less detailed on Bard compared to the other two.
Overall, ChatGPT outperformed Bing and Bard. Because Bing pulls content from its search index and marries it with ChatGPT’s LLM, it’s likely the reason “CircoTherm®” ended up in the results.”
Limitations
The chatbots, they have a mind of their own.
We asked the bots a simple mathematical riddle and they generated interesting results;
Query: I have 10 oranges today. I ate 3 oranges last week. How many am I left with?
ChatGPT4: If you start with 10 oranges and haven’t eaten any from this current batch, you still have 10 oranges. The 3 oranges you ate last week don’t affect the number of oranges you have today.
So, you still have 10 oranges.
Bard: You are left with 7 oranges.
You had 10 oranges today and you ate 3 oranges last week, so you have 10 – 3 = 7 oranges left.
I can also calculate this using the following Python code:
This code calculates the number of oranges left after eating 3 oranges
oranges_today = 10
oranges_eaten_last_week = 3
oranges_left = oranges_today – oranges_eaten_last_week
print(“The number of oranges left is”, oranges_left)
This code outputs the following:
The number of oranges left is 7
Bing (More Balanced Mode): You have 7 oranges left. 😊
Bing (More Precise Mode): You had 10 oranges today and you ate 3 oranges last week. So, you are left with 10 – 3 = 7 oranges. Is there anything else I can help you with? 😊
As you can see, while these chatbots are considered to be smart enough to “generate an answer to almost any question it’s asked”, it must be remembered that while an answer will be generated, you can’t always bet on its accuracy.
For the ChatGPT Lovers: A Marvel of Modern Technology
There’s a lot to love about ChatGPT. Developed by OpenAI, this large language model based on the GPT-4 architecture is an extraordinary exemplar of advanced technology. Its abilities are vast, ranging from answering questions and giving explanations, to writing essays, creating poetry, and even crafting fictional stories.
ChatGPT-4 can mimic human-like conversation so well that sometimes you may forget you’re chatting with a machine. It learns from a vast range of internet text, but it doesn’t just regurgitate information – it synthesizes new responses, offering unique insights and perspectives. If you are in awe of its capabilities, you’re not alone. The ChatGPT fan club is growing every day.
For the ChatGPT Critics: A Reality Check
On the flip side, there are people who have a less rosy view of ChatGPT. And let’s be honest, they do have valid points. While ChatGPT can offer many benefits, it’s not without flaws.
The most significant critique is that ChatGPT, despite its ability to converse naturally, doesn’t understand context the way humans do. It doesn’t comprehend information or possess self-awareness. Instead, it generates responses based on patterns it recognizes from its training data. It can occasionally misunderstand nuances or create outputs that are nonsensical or even offensive.
Furthermore, because of its broad training data, it might occasionally generate responses that can be biased or misleading. As a critic, if you’re cautious about these limitations, your perspective is not only valid but also necessary in shaping the future of such technology.
Bridging the Gap
Now, let’s find that common ground.
No matter whether we’re captivated by ChatGPT’s prowess or cautious due to its pitfalls, we must all agree that it is a remarkable piece of technology. It signifies how far we’ve come in the world of artificial intelligence and gives a glimpse into the future.
For the enthusiasts, let’s not forget to critically evaluate the technology. Appreciate its power, but also recognize its limitations and potential misuses. On the other hand, for the skeptics, it’s crucial to appreciate the remarkable progress it represents in natural language processing and consider its potential benefits alongside the challenges.
Towards a Balanced Perspective
The development of AI like ChatGPT is not just a scientific endeavor but a cultural and societal voyage as well. It has taken us places we previously couldn’t imagine, and yet there is still so much uncharted territory. It’s crucial to remember that these tools are not an end in themselves, but rather stepping stones towards better technology. While we must consistently strive to improve AI technologies like ChatGPT, we should also appreciate the progress they signify. They have the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives, from personal assistants to education, healthcare, and even the intricacies of the business world. The transformative power of ChatGPT is palpable not only in theoretical discussions but also in its real-world applications.
One striking example of this transformative potential is in the realm of CPQ systems for businesses. Integrating CPQ with ChatGPT can be seen as the next step in business evolution. Imagine the edge a business can have when ChatGPT is seamlessly merged with its CPQ solution! Sales representatives, equipped with the rapid conversation capabilities of ChatGPT, can configure complex product options, price them accordingly, and generate accurate quotes in real-time. But it’s not just about the speed. Leveraging ChatGPT’s vast knowledge base and its prowess in human-like text generation ensures that business quotes are not only efficient but also more accurate, personalized, and reflective of both the customer’s needs and current market demands. For businesses already capitalizing on CPQ systems, pairing them with AI language models like ChatGPT holds the promise of reshaping customer interactions, enhancing sales experiences, and bolstering profitability.
The conversation is far from over. Whether you’re an enthusiast, skeptic, or a business professional keen on exploring the synergies between AI and CPQ systems, remember that the next significant stride in AI’s journey could be just around the corner. Let’s continue the dialogue, for AI’s story is not just about machines but also about the people it serves and impacts.
Whether you love ChatGPT, or you hate it, one thing is certain: from what it looks like, it’s here to stay.
