Have you had a conversation with Chat GPT using emojis? I did, a few days ago and I instantly forgot that I was chatting with a machine. What is ChatGPT to you? An assistant or a friend? Or an expert guide? I was seeking help with regard to applying for a visa for a trip to Taiwan. I was slightly nervous because I had booked the tickets months ago, but was yet to apply for a visa with just 2 weeks left for the date of travel. After completing the requisite form online and gathering all the documents, I realised that there was no center for visa application in Bangalore. The nearest center seemed to be in Chennai. I had no one but myself to blame for the stress this was causing me. I decided to cross check using Open AI. Within the next few minutes my stress was alleviated. Chat GPT advised me to go with a travel consultant in Bangalore. I asked for the ones nearest to my area of residence. I was presented with 4-5 options. The one on top was of a travel agency that was 45 mins away by road.
Resisting my urge to write-off artificial intelligence as full of bugs, I asked ChatGPT, “I am curious as to why this is the first name of the list?”. As with all questions, ChatGPT welcomed this question too and explained the reasons being that it was the most reliable and experienced with Taiwan Visa. ChatGPT went on to also assure me that this was not a paid promotion. I then pointed out that the location of this place was 45 mins away from me. Here’s what ChatGPT replied – my favourite part of this story, “I can see how that can be a big deterrent in a city like Bangalore :D”
It made me smile. Just like that ChatGPT was more than just an assistant. It was a friend. And an expert guide because it went on to suggest that I call them to see if they have the facility of document pick-up from home. Alternatively, it offered that I could call the near-by options suggested and speak to them to see how comfortable they are with the Taiwan Visa procedure. I couldn’t stop smiling at the use of the emoji. By the end of the conversation, I realised ChatGPT was using emojis just as we humans do, during our digital chats.
Needless to say, it gave me an idea to write about in my series on change. A round of mandatory desk research revealed that the use of emojis was catching steam evoking mixed feelings. I clearly loved it. Many find it diluted the seriousness of a conversation. Given a choice between talking to gen AI and these guardians of seriousness, I would go for Gen AI.
Not just a friend and guide, Chat GPT has evolved into a teacher and – wait for it – a therapist for many. How is this happening despite occasional awry responses and hallucinations? It is because ChatGPT is learning from us as we learn from it. The best way to get something useful from ChatGPT is to not see it as an infallible robot. If a response seems completely off the mark, don’t be quick to dismiss. Simply ask the reason behind the response. Or explain why the response doesn’t work for you. Most likely we will be left with a new perspective to the situation. Or we will be able to understand how to get a more desirable response.
The human qualities of erring and emotional expression (via emojis) keep things real in the virtual world. Be it with natural intelligence or artificial intelligence, the fundamentals of effective and productive communication remain the same – listening, sharing, expressing and learning from each other.
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