Science fiction has planted the fear that machines will one day replace us. With OpenAI’s next generation conversational AI chatbot ChatGPT sparking debate among writers and other copy-based content generators that the end, for them at least, may be nigh, we speak to expert in machine learning Dr Georgios Leontidis and award winning writer Sheena Blackhall to get their thoughts.

A University of Aberdeen podcast, in this episode of ‘Inside the Headlines’, following the launch of OpenAI’s revolutionary conversational chatbot ChatGPT, Laura finds out if robots are going to take over the role of writers.

With insights from Dr Georgios Leontidis, Reader in Machine Learning and Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Data and Artificial Intelligence at the University; and award-winning Scots writer, singer/songwriter, storyteller and honorary teaching fellow at the School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture, Sheena Blackhall.

Explored in this episode:

· What ChatGPT is and how it works

· What its being used for

· Do humans write from the heart or the head?

· Is life experience important?

· Tackling inaccuracy and bias

· The risks this technology poses for Universities

· The tell-tale signs of machine-generated copy

· How this technology might evolve

Mentioned in this episode:

· Company/product: OpenAI ChatGPT

· Technology: ELIZA

· Technology: Alexa

· Technology: Siri

· Language: Doric

· Place: Balquhidder

· Person: Roberto Assagioli

· Company/product: Google Bard

This podcast reflects the views and opinions of contributors, not necessarily the institutional position of the University of Aberdeen.