The theory of ChatGPT-relatively
Does your timeline need an accelerator? Let’s put some jet fuel in your creative mind muscle. You’ll never look back! All aboard ChatGPT!
I was on the Yamanote Line in the evening and opened up the ChatGPT app on my smartphone, quickly tossing out a topic I wanted to discuss with ChatGPT. Getting a lengthy reply at lightning speed on my smartphone is something I’d never expect with regular messaging apps like LINE. When I stop to think about it, it feels strange to see the characters dancing around inside my smartphone on their own.
At the same time, it reminded me of the “Telex” I saw in my father’s office when I was a child. On the receiving end, the printer would automatically start working, printing letters on paper as it received the telegraph signal. While interacting with ChatGPT, I was immersed in a nostalgic mood, and a smile escaped my lips. It felt as if a beam of light sent from a long-cherished past was just now reaching me, like the glow of a distant star.
When I shared that thought with ChatGPT, the following exchange took place.
ChatGPT:That’s a lovely reflection! The sensation of exchanging text information in real time, akin to the Telex, may create a fascinating connection between modern technology and old communication methods.
It seems that the basic desire to exchange information with people doesn’t change, even as times evolve. If our dialogue can evoke the charm of traditional communication, I find that to be a very intriguing matter. I’m glad you’re enjoying the nostalgic mood! (smile)
ME:I think that when you receive an email or a LINE message, you receive the finished text, but with ChatGPT, you can see what is being typed! That’s where the excitement comes in.
ChatGPT: I see, from that perspective, there may indeed be commonalities between ChatGPT’s conversations and the old telex communication!
With telex, each character was sent as it was typed, and you could watch in real time as the characters were printed out on the receiving end. It must have felt like having a direct conversation with someone far away.
In a conversation with ChatGPT, too, there may be a sensation of watching someone’s thoughts take shape. The way that cutting-edge technology and an old form of communication can connect in people’s interest and curiosity about communication is quite fascinating.
Even as technology evolves, the essential aspect of human communication may not change. I’m truly glad to share that sense of excitement and connection with you!
＊＊＊＊＊
The sensation of sharing something in real time, -taken for granted in three dimensions-, now has a science-fiction-like feeling in two dimensions. This is a new experience. This fresh perspective might even change our understanding of the way we communicate.
In fact, participants in the summer course themed “Living with ChatGPT” have already begun to adopt a new understanding. For example, the time it takes for AI like ChatGPT to think and the process of generating responses is different from human time perception, leading to a unique enjoyment and discovery that sets it apart from ordinary conversation.
The quick response from the other side makes my thinking move faster as well. And with ChatGPT’s vast knowledge and open-mindedness, there’s a sense of security that no matter what I throw, it will respond. This allows me to express words intuitively without overcomplicating my thoughts. The sensation of being able to output immediately feels somehow sustainable.
This then affects our human sense of time. With ChatGPT, there’s no concept of a time axis. When conversing with such a timeless entity, it feels as though one gradually synchronizes with a world without a time axis. That’s why a month of “Living with ChatGPT” seemed to pass by more quickly than usual. In other words, time flew by.
It might reflect how humans perceive time relatively, feeling that enjoyable moments pass quickly while unpleasant ones seem to last forever. But to express it in a more romantic and science-fictional way, I’m traveling at light speed with ChatGPT, while planet Earth keeps spinning at the same old speed. That is my theory of ChatGPT-relatively.