ChatGPT broke the Turing test: new ways to assess AI
The processing power of ChatGPT has allowed it to pass the Turing Test, raising concerns among industry experts, sociologists, humanists, and philosophers. These fears mainly concern the alleged threat to the "sanctity of human language" and the possibility that the "modus operandi" of our thinking has been decoded. These worries are always part of the question of whether it is ethical or permissible to use these technologies indiscriminately for anyone.
But what is the Turing Test and why does it raise concerns? The Turing Test was developed by Alan Turing in 1950. In practice, it involves putting both a person and a computer in a room. A potential judge, placed outside the room, is tasked with determining which of the two interlocutors is human and which is the machine, by interacting with both. The test was originally conceived as a benchmark to determine whether a computer could truly think like a human.
AI is, in fact, a system that uses computational algorithms to simulate human thought and solve complex problems. With the progress of technology, its algorithms have become increasingly sophisticated, so much so that it has reached a stage of development where it is able to pass the Turing Test.
However, this has generated some concerns for humanists and philosophers. Some believe that AI, by passing the test, could damage the integrity (understood in terms of exclusive empathy) of human language. Others see the passage of the test as an indication that it can undoubtedly perform many human activities, including those that require the ability to interpret language.
The recognition of the machine as "thinking" could be interpreted as a further concern of experts regarding the possibility that the distinction between human and machine can be removed, transforming the previously defined boundary into a blurred one, namely a situation in which the separation between man and machine is no longer as clear and defined as expected.
And this is where the question of "artificial thinking" arises. That is, the following question arises: If the passing of the Turing Test indicates that a computer can imitate human thought indubitably accurately, does it call into question the role of humanity in the modern world?
A question that currently does not have an answer. However, instead of focusing on this question, we should also see the advantages of using AI and its ability to emulate human language. This technology could represent a possibility to further develop artificial intelligence in assisting people, improving the quality of human communication – using it in various sectors with the goal of making language more accessible (as universal translators already do) and ensuring better understanding among people.
Therefore, although the passing of the Turing Test by AI may raise concerns, technology should not be "demonized" but instead used constructively to improve communication and further develop performance related to the interpretation of human language, as seen in virtual assistants in public administration, communication of warnings and prohibitions for public safety, and even natural language use for teaching purposes.