Any futurist will tell you that writing text in order to communicate with each other online can be seen as archaic. In today’s fast moving world – just plain not optimal.
You may have heard tales of the development of brain-implanted devices that are supposedly going to let people communicate instantly, by essentially reading thoughts, but let’s face it – this is some pretty scary, far-away future stuff.
However right now, what we can do is make the most out of the generative AI (artificial intelligence) that’s becoming ever so prevalent in our lives.
Want to Google something? Fact-check something? Why spend precious seconds typing in a question, then sifting through various websites, in order to find what you’re looking for from a reasonably reliable source, when you can ask an AI, and get an instant, concise answer?
Well, the truth is – because like humans, AI can provide wrong answers, biased answers, or just fail to understand you at all. AI isn’t necessarily a trustworthy source, especially when it comes to complex and important queries, like medical research.
However, what AI is good for is casual conversations about universal curiosities.
So here’s the deal – I gave my phone the ability to have an intelligent conversion with me, and so can you. Let’s talk about the experience, and how you can do the same with any smartphone…
Let’s have a deeply meaningful conversion about life, with a smartphone
OpenAI, the research organization behind ChatGPT
Well, meaningful to us – the humans, at least.
You’ve heard of ChatGPT – the world’s most popular generative AI, that’s also free, and used by many for all kinds of purposes.
From having the aforementioned casual conversation about random curiosities with you, to helping you code your next video game, if you’re a dev, or come up with fun birthday wishes, if you’re organizing a party… ChatGPT, and AIs like it, can assist us in significant ways with pretty much anything.
The ChatGPT mobile app recently received an update that lets it not only understand and answer your messages in text form, but have a natural voice conversation with you. You say something – it responds, you continue the conversation, it does the same, etc.
I’ve had days where ChatGPT’s “voice conversations” feature was on for up to 30 minutes; my phone nearby, just talking with it about random, interesting topics that came to mind – how the pyramids were built, what might be in outer space, and so on.
And I realized something – this is almost certainly what the internet in the future will be like – no more Google search, no more typing at all, just natural conversations with AI.
Speaking of which…
Theorizing with the AI about Apple Vision Pro, AI-powered spatial computing devices of the near future
The Apple Vision Pro
I had a quick back-and-forth conversation with ChatGPT in regards to Apple Vision Pro, and whether spatial computing devices like it (also known as AR/VR headsets, but Apple likes calling its products fancy, differential names) will replace our phones.
While ChatGPT claimed it’s unaware of the Apple Vision Pro yet, it did still somehow know that it’s an augmented reality device, so that’s interesting. In any case, here’s how the conversation went:
ChatGPT: It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s possible that technologies like Apple Vision Pro could change how we interact with devices. However, replacing smartphones entirely might be a stretch. Smartphones serve many functions beyond just visual interactions, like communication, gaming, and productivity. So, while new technologies might complement or enhance smartphones, it’s unlikely they’ll completely replace them anytime soon.How about 10 years from now, or 20?
ChatGPT: “Predicting technology trends that far into the future is challenging, but it’s conceivable that advancements in augmented reality (AR) or other visual interfaces could significantly alter how we use devices. However, whether they’ll entirely replace smartphones depends on how well they can fulfill all the functions smartphones currently serve, like communication, accessibility, and versatility. It’s an interesting possibility, but only time will tell how technology evolves.”
Would you like to say something to tech fans from all over the world?
ChatGPT: “To all the tech enthusiasts out there, keep exploring, innovating, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible! Your passion drives progress and shapes the future of technology. Stay curious, stay inspired, and keep making the world a more connected and exciting place through your love of tech!”
To summarize, ChatGPT expresses disbelief that spatial computing devices, such as the Apple Vision Pro, will replace our phones anytime soon. However, it’s important to note that “anytime soon” does not mean “never.”
I particularly like its message to the tech community; let’s see that again:
“Your passion drives progress and shapes the future of technology. Stay curious, stay inspired, and keep making the world a more connected and exciting place through your love of tech!”
Indeed, tech fans such as yourself being passionate about smartphones and other smart devices are what drives innovation. Keep being you! It’s our love for technology, as consumers, what shapes it. Being vocal about things you like or don’t like matters.
Will nobody feel alone anymore, as we get even less physically present with each other?
There’s an inevitable stream of concerned thoughts that flood my mind when AI, particularly conversing naturally with it, is the subject of a conversation.
Instead of just dropping my pesky human bias on the matter, I’ve decided to ask the AI itself, once again, and here’s how that went:
Do you believe the advent of conversational AIs such as yourself will end up disconnecting humans even further from each other?
ChatGPT: “The impact of conversational AI on human interaction is a complex topic. While it’s true that technology can sometimes create barriers to human connection, it also has the potential to enhance communication and facilitate connections in new ways.
Conversational AIs like myself can offer convenience and assistance, but they shouldn’t replace genuine human interaction. Instead, they can complement human relationships by providing support, information, and even companionship in certain contexts.
Ultimately, how technology affects human connection depends on how we choose to use it. By being mindful of the role technology plays in our lives and making conscious efforts to prioritize genuine human connection, we can ensure that technology enhances rather than detracts from our relationships.”
As usual, we get a perfectly-formulated and reasonably nuanced answer from ChatGPT, which I happen to agree with.
Bottom line – this is incredible, but we shouldn’t let it get out of hand, on an individual level
As ChatGPT itself put it, and perfectly well:
“Conversational AIs like myself can offer convenience and assistance, but they shouldn’t replace genuine human interaction.”
In addition to that, I’d like to repeat what I said earlier – AIs shouldn’t serve as a replacement to any important research you may get into (e.g. of medical nature), as AIs can be very unreliable, yet convincing, when providing answers.
While I have a great time occasionally turning on ChatGPT’s conversational feature and talking with it about scientific curiosities of mine, and so can you, human interactions can not be substituted, nor should we ever attempt it.
And also, as the friendly AI said earlier – keep driving progress and shaping the future of technology, tech fans!
