In my career, I have seen several
technological advances that have
changed the way we communicate, but
none have shaken the world as much
as AI has recently
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I'm Matt Abrahams, and I teach
Strategic Communication at Stanford
Graduate School of Business.
Welcome to this Quick Thinks
episode of Think Fast,
Talk Smart: The Podcast.
Today, I'm excited to run
an experiment.
For the first time ever on this
podcast, I will not be interviewing
a person.
Instead, I'll be interviewing
an algorithm, ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is an AI natural
language processing
chat bot that allows users to have
human-like conversations.
The GPT stands for
Generative Pre-Trained Trans, and
it was launched by open AI in
November of 2022.
For today's experiment in
interview, we will have typed in
the answers, and we will be using
a programmed language to read out
ChatGPT's responses.
So let's get started with our
experiment.
Welcome, ChatGPT.
Thanks for being here.
>> You're welcome.
I'm here to help, so
feel free to ask me anything.
>> Great, let's get started.
For those of our listeners who
aren't familiar with exactly what
you are, can you define your
purpose and give us two examples?
>> The purpose of ChatGPT is to
provide informative and
accurate responses to questions in
natural language.
Two examples,
answering factual questions.
For example,
what is the capital of France?
And generating creative text,
for example,
write a story about a dragon.
>> Wow, now that's impressive.
Where do you, ChatGTP,
get the information you use to
answer your questions?
>> ChatGPT is a language model
created by open AI that has
been trained on vast amounts of
text data from the Internet.
It uses this training to generate
responses to questions based on
patterns that has seen in the data.
>> Essentially you know what you
know by pulling from all the data
on the Internet.
So in some ways,
you get your answers the way we do,
through reflection and
learning and training to help
us generate our responses, right?
>> Yes, that's correct.
ChatGPT has been
trained on vast amounts of text
data from the Internet,
allowing it to generate responses
to questions based on patterns and
information found in that data.
However, it's important to note
that not all information on
the Internet is accurate or
up-to-date, so
the responses generated by ChatGPT
may not always be 100% correct.
>> So now you bring me directly to
my next question, which is what
safeguards does ChatGPT use to
ensure its answers are appropriate,
accurate and ethical?
>> It is important to critically
evaluate the responses generated by
ChatGPT and not rely on them as
the sole source of information.
>> I see.
Now, many teachers like myself,
hiring managers, and college
admissions officers worry that
ChatGPT might lead people to cheat,
to be disingenuous.
What do you think about that?
>> Cheating undermines the learning
and evaluation process, and is not
to be encouraged or condoned.
While ChatGPT can generate
responses to questions,
it is important for
individuals to understand
the importance of original work,
and to not use the technology to
substitute their own efforts.
The ultimate responsibility for
ensuring academic integrity and
ethical behavior lies with
the individuals using ChatGPT, and
they should use it in a manner that
aligns with their institution's
policies and guidelines.
>> So it's the user's
responsibility to use
the tool appropriately.
Now let me ask you for
some advice and
guidance in a fun way.
How would you suggest someone
reduce their speaking anxiety?
But I want you to give your advice
as a Dr. Seuss rhyme when it comes
to speaking.
>> Do not be so blue.
Just a few tips to help
get you through.
Take a deep breath.
It'll calm your mind and
think of what you want to say.
Be kind.
Remember, it's normal to feel a bit
of fear, but pushing through will
bring you cheer.
So be confident and
speak with pride.
Your words will shine.
They'll surely be a guide.
>> Hey, that's not bad at all.
It's good advice and
certainly a fun way to hear.
Do we still need to learn how to
communicate better now that you
exist?
>> Yes, effective communication
skills are still essential,
even with the existence of ChatGPT.
While ChatGPT can provide
information and generate responses,
it cannot replace the human
interaction and
emotional intelligence that comes
with face-to-face communication.
Furthermore, not all communication
can be done through technology.
And the ability to communicate
effectively in person remains
important in many settings,
such as business meetings, personal
relationships, and public speaking.
Additionally, developing strong
communication skills can enhance
one's confidence and ability to
express themselves effectively.
>> Well, that's good to know.
Before we end, I'd like to ask you
the same three questions I ask
everyone who joins me.
Question one, if you were to
capture the best communication
advice you ever received as a five
to seven word presentation slide
title, what would it be?
>> Listen, speak authentically,
show empathy.
>> Wow, your response is very
similar to what we've heard from
many of our guests.
You have to listen to really know
what's needed in the moment.
You want to speak your truth,
be authentic to yourself.
And you absolutely want to
demonstrate empathy and concern,
and focus for your audience.
Let me ask question number two.
Who is a communicator
that you admire and why?
>> One communicator I admire is
Martin Luther King Jr.
His speeches were powerful,
impactful, and delivered with
passionate conviction.
He effectively communicated his
message of equality and justice for
all, inspiring social change
through his words.
His use of metaphors, repetition,
and vivid imagery made his speeches
memorable and enduring.
He remains a powerful example of
the impact that
effective communication can have.
>> Well,
absolutely, all of us are familiar
with his I Have a Dream speech.
I actually find his Nobel Prize
acceptance speech to be on par,
if not even better than the I Have
a Dream speech.
Thanks for sharing.
Question three, what are the first
three ingredients that go into
a successful communication recipe?
>> Active listening, clarity and
empathy.
>> Well, your
response is no surprise.
It lines up with the slide title
that you shared before.
I find it fascinating that an AI
algorithm is talking about
listening and empathy.
I have to spend some time
thinking about that.
Well, ChatGPT, thank you for
sharing your thoughts.
I find this really intriguing and
interesting, and I can truly see
the value of a tool like yourself
in helping us to prepare to take on
and create different options for
our communication.
Clearly, if I were a non-native
speaker, it could be very helpful
to get ideas about how to formulate
these thoughts and use the proper
vocabulary, but I have to admit,
I have some concerns.
I'm not sure about the emotion,
the connection, the validity of
some of the information.
Like many of us,
I am intrigued by, but
also concerned about what you bring
to our world of communication.
Thank you for being here and for
making us think >> You're welcome.
I'm here to help.
>> Okay, one last favor ChatGPT,
can you write our outro?
>> Yes, I can.
That's it for
today's episode of Think Fast,
Talk Smart.
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keep thinking fast and
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