ChatGPT: The Fifth Industrial Revolution?!

Only yesterday industry was talking about the implementation of Industry 4.0. Machines and humans connect via the Internet of Things (IoT). Cyberphysical systems act and make decisions autonomously with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). AI has already arrived in the industrial world and is successfully used there.  By Alexander Klause

As private persons, we, on the other hand, have limited direct interaction with AI. We use search machines like Google, social networks like TikTok, or assistance systems like Alexa or Siri. These little helpers provide support here and there in our everyday lives. The general public can access the chatbot ChatGPT as of December 2022.

But what is ChatGPT? This question is best answered by ChatGPT itself.

Alexander Klause: What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT: ChatGPT is a conversational AI model developed by OpenAI. It is trained on a large dataset of text and can generate human-like responses to questions and prompts. The model uses the transformer architecture and is based on the GPT-3 language model.

In short: you ask ChatGPT a question and you get a reply. That may not sound spectacular, but it is sometimes frightening how precise the answer is and how humanly it is phrased. ChatGPT can remember past chats and hold extensive and complex conversations based on these. One can, for example, ask ChatGPT to write an essay on its potential in the rail industry, See Figure 2. I could just have downed tools and finished my article here. Would you have noticed if the rest of the article had been written by artificial intelligence?

Alexander Klause: Write an essay with a maximum of 3,000 characters on ChatGPT and ChatGPT’s  potential in the rail industry.

ChatGPT: ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-based chatbot developed by OpenAI. It utilizes deep learning technologies to conduct human-like conversations and perform tasks. This chatbot has the potential to improve the railway industry in various ways by providing faster and more efficient customer service.

For example, ChatGPT can be utilized to answer customer queries quickly and accurately, reducing waiting times and increasing customer satisfaction. Additionally, it can also serve as a virtual travel companion by providing travellers with information about their travel routes, arrival and departure times, and other important details.

Another important area of application for ChatGPT in the railway industry is the automation of train ticket booking and cancellation. This can save time and effort as customers no longer have to wait for a human customer service representative to make or cancel their bookings. ChatGPT can also be used as a forecasting tool to predict travel traffic and capacity utilization, thus helping to make better decisions regarding the deployment of personnel and resources.

Overall, ChatGPT can bring significant value to the railway industry by providing faster and more efficient customer service and helping to improve efficiency and profitability. It would therefore be advisable to implement ChatGPT in the railway industry to fully leverage the benefits of artificial intelligence.

For decades, smart minds have been exploring the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence. As with many revolutionary inventions, it is initially viewed with concern and fear. Will diverse jobs still be carried out by people in the future if ChatGPT can program algorithms, compose texts on all imaginable topics, solve all tasks for pupils and students, and answer specific customer questions in all sectors?

ChatGPT surpasses all previous possibilities offered by artificial intelligence. Therefore, worries and fears should be taken seriously and translated into opportunities. As with all previous revolutions, we will learn to live and work in a different way. ChatGPT itself has shown the potential it holds for the rail industry. Industry and societies worldwide can benefit from the advantages. Now is the time to create the framework conditions and fields of action for such advanced artificial intelligence.

Does ChatGPT herald the next industrial revolution? Does the development of artificial intelligence scare you or do you look euphorically at the endless possibilities? What happens when humanoid robots are connected to the algorithm of ChatGPT? What do you think? Drop me a line and let me know your opinion.