ChatGPT makes stuff up.
Actually, a different s-word than “stuff” is often used to describe what is sometimes produced by this large language model (LLM) program from OpenAI. Since its debut last year, ChatGPT has stirred both awe and controversy over the potential of artificial intelligence (AI).
However, ChatGPT will sometimes construct a tale that reads well but is a fair distance from the truth.
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ChatGPT is not deliberately lying. It is a very sophisticated computer program that digests massive amounts of text from the Internet. When it “writes” responses to a query or command, it combs through all that text and makes a very educated guess about what the words should be and in what order.
Usually, it guesses right, so right that it may even appear inspired, original, even human. Sometimes it guesses wrong but can still sound darned convincing.
My test of generative AI was to ask it to write a story about a historical incident that was particular to London, the Victoria boat disaster of 1881.
If you take a walk on the Terry Fox Parkway near the Greenway wastewater treatment centre, you will come across a historical plaque about the Victoria disaster just off the paved pathway on the riverbank.
The Victoria was a double deck stern-wheeler paddle boat that would take people on excursions between London and Springbank Park. On May 24, 1881, the overcrowded boat was carrying more than 600 people back to London from the park.
In a worthy entry in the history of bad ideas, some passengers shifted back and forth between port and starboard. That got the boat rocking. The Victoria heeled over, dumping passengers and a scalding water-filled boiler into the river. The upper deck and awning also came crashing down.
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At least 182 people died in what would be one of Canada’s worst maritime disasters. Certainly, the worst for a relatively shallow inland waterway.
I asked ChatGPT to write a summary of the Victoria disaster in London, Ont. At first it responded that it didn’t know. I tried rephrasing the question to include such things as the date.
At one point, I termed it the Victoria Day disaster of 1881. I don’t know if that is entirely accurate as the Victoria was the boat name and I don’t know if “Victoria Day” was used back then, though Queen Vickie’s birthday was certainly being celebrated the day of the sinking.
Here is what ChatGPT came up with:
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I apologize for the confusion. The Victoria Day disaster, also known as the Victoria Park disaster, occurred on May 24, 1881, in London, Ont., Canada. It was a tragic incident that took place during the celebration of Victoria Day, a Canadian holiday commemorating Queen Victoria’s birthday.
On that fateful day, thousands of people gathered at Victoria Park in London to enjoy various festivities and spectacles. One of the main attractions was a tightrope walking performance by Charles Blondin, a renowned French acrobat and daredevil.
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Blondin had set up a high wire across the Thames River, which ran through Victoria Park. As he prepared to perform his daring act, a large crowd gathered on both sides of the river to watch the spectacle. People crowded onto a temporary wooden footbridge that had been constructed for the event, hoping to get a better view.
Tragically, the footbridge collapsed under the weight of the crowd, plunging numerous people into the river below. The sudden collapse caused panic and confusion, leading to a chaotic scene. Many individuals were injured, and some were swept away by the fast-moving currents. The exact number of casualties remains uncertain, but it is believed that between seven and 10 people lost their lives in the disaster.
The Victoria Day disaster in London, Ont., shocked the community and resulted in a significant loss of life during what was supposed to be a joyous celebration. The incident prompted discussions about public safety, infrastructure standards, and crowd control measures.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, efforts were made to improve safety regulations for public events and to ensure proper inspection of temporary structures. The incident also led to increased awareness of the importance of public safety and the need for precautions in large gatherings.
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The Victoria Day disaster remains a tragic event in London’s history, serving as a reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals during public celebrations and events.
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Space prohibits me from going through every omission, inaccuracy, and outright whopper found in almost every paragraph of the ChatGPT’s story. Standouts for me are Charles Blondin, the river running through Victoria Park and, of course, the complete lack of a boat in the story. The casualty estimate was off by 175 souls.
The moral here is not that AI is evil or bad. It’s just a tool. Be careful how you use it. Have a critical eye and always get corroborating sources. Like the human’s it mimics, it can sometimes be brilliant. But sometimes it’s just full of stuff.
John Sloan is a London freelance writer and former technology analyst for the Info-Tech Research Group
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