Dr. Tracy Farone
AI?
Dr. Tracy Farone
Greetings beekeeping enthusiasts! Today, we’ll dive into the world of artificial intelligence and explore its application in the beekeeping industry. Specifically, we’ll discuss ChatGPT, an innovative technology developed by OpenAI, and how it can help promote honey bee health and management.
First things first, let’s define what ChatGPT and OpenAI are. OpenAI is a research organization dedicated to developing advanced artificial intelligence in a safe and beneficial way. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a language processing model developed by OpenAI. It uses deep learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of natural language data and generate responses that closely resemble those of human conversation.
Now, you might be wondering how ChatGPT can be useful in the beekeeping industry. Well, let’s take a look at how AI has already been used in this field. In recent years, AI has been used to develop sophisticated monitoring systems that can track various aspects of bee colony health and behavior, such as population size, hive temperature and humidity. These systems have been instrumental in identifying potential problems in the hive before they become serious, allowing beekeepers to take preventive measures.
But what if beekeepers could access all this information and more simply by asking a question? This is where ChatGPT comes in. By using natural language processing, ChatGPT can be programmed to understand and respond to beekeepers’ queries in a way that mimics human conversation. For instance, a beekeeper could ask ChatGPT about the health of a specific colony or inquire about the best way to treat a particular bee disease. ChatGPT could then provide a response based on the latest research and data, helping beekeepers make informed decisions about the health and management of their hives.
How will more AI affect our honey bees…
However, as with any technology, there are pros and cons to consider. One of the advantages of ChatGPT is that it can save beekeepers time and money by providing quick answers to their questions without the need for extensive research. Additionally, it can improve the accuracy and consistency of the information beekeepers receive, as ChatGPT’s responses are based on objective data rather than personal opinions.
On the other hand, there are concerns that relying too heavily on AI could undermine the importance of hands-on experience and intuition in beekeeping. Additionally, there are issues surrounding data privacy and security that must be addressed to ensure that beekeepers’ information is protected.
Despite these concerns, it’s clear that AI has the potential to revolutionize the way beekeepers manage their hives. By combining AI with traditional beekeeping practices, we can achieve a more sustainable and efficient approach to honey bee health.
In conclusion, ChatGPT is a cutting-edge technology that has the potential to transform the beekeeping industry. Its natural language processing capabilities can help beekeepers access vital information about the health and management of their hives in a quick and convenient way. However, as with any technology, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons and ensure that it’s used responsibly and ethically. With the right approach, AI can help us achieve a more sustainable and successful future for honey bees and the beekeeping industry as a whole.
There is a hazy line defining the future of AI use
If you made it this far in the article, congratulations! You were reading the ramblings of a computer. What did you think? Are you surprised? The above text was generated with me working with ChatGPT utilizing the following prompt:
“Write up to a 2,000 word article starting with: a brief introduction and definition of what ChatGPT and Open AI are, what ChatGPT can do and the pros and cons of this technology. Then give an overview of how AI has been used in the beekeeping industry and how it may be used in the future to promote honey bee health and management. Write the entire article in the style of Dr. Tracy Farone, author of the Bee Vet column in Bee Culture Magazine. Dr. Farone’s writing style is conversational but scientific. Do not introduce Dr. Farone in the article, the audience will know who she is. Do not end the article without completing a sentence but finish with a conclusion.”
This was the eighth prompt and try of Chat to get to a writing of this quality. Previous times the instructions were not followed, the article stopped in midsentence, information given was superficial and the tone was cheesy car salesman at times. The word count is still only 517.
In the computer-generated writing, as a critical human thinker, I believe one can see how much Chat thinks of itself – it’s quite the happy narcissist! It claims to be objective, but I think the biggest worry is “garbage in, equals garbage out”. The potential for bias, dangerous bias, is a large concern. However, objective truth is anything but simply objective anymore. True science is about the ability to ask questions and critically reason through them. It is the line between AI and self-awareness…
Even though ChatGPT has access to and the ability to compile millions of data sources, Chat left out a few things in its article. It did not discuss automated beehives in detail (from Beewise to Beehome) or various in-hive monitoring devices or apps considered to be forms of AI. I find anything that could make improving hive health to be well worth a try but, of course, it must practically work and make economic sense as well.
Many are praising the technological capabilities and applications of this new birth of AI, considering it just something we will have to adjust to like the Internet and social media (Have the pros outweighed the cons here?). Others, including key developers like Elon Musk, are calling for a pause in this rapid pace of the development of technology before we can fully understand what it will do in our world. A few abilities of Chat GPT that are being promoted but also cause concern include:
1.The ability to create malware endlessly. AI does not need to sleep, eat or take out the garbage.
2.Pretending to be someone (human). For example: dating apps (creeeepy!), better phishing/scam messages, writing resumes.
3.Assisting in cheating in school, college, graduate school, medical schools…
4.Giving advice to the user on relationships, psychological support, even medical advice.
5.Being a friend or companion to the user.
6.Taking over multiple human jobs.
A few weeks ago, I sat in a room full of college faculty listening to our computer science department give a presentation about what ChatGPT/Open AI is and what it can do. I was hoping to get some answers about how we handle this new technology. To be honest, the mood in the room was grim. From a teaching perspective, this technology brings up huge ethical and cheating concerns, as Chat can write original papers for students, do their homework for them and some claim, even write PhDs. Technology to detect such shenanigans is available but unable to keep up with the latest Chat versions developing by the day. How are young minds ever going to develop critical thinking and acquire knowledge if a computer can simply do it for them?
At the meeting, the suggestions we received suggested going back to paper and pencil writing in-class assignments, exams and oral examinations for true assessments of student knowledge. Great… advancement leads to going back in time. Clearly these methods are not practical in large classes, primary writing courses or online classes. However, after playing around with Chat for this article, I was a bit relieved that, at least for now, those of us humans with functioning brains may still have the upper hand. I will leave you with one last conversation I had with Chat…
Me: How do you get out of a cardboard box?
ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I do not have a physical body, so I cannot get out of a cardboard box. However, if you find yourself stuck in a cardboard box, the best way to get out would be to push or pull the flaps open from the inside or cut the box open with a sharp object. It’s important to be careful when cutting the box to avoid injury.
Me: So, a person would use their brain to figure it out.
ChatGPT: Yes, that’s correct. A person would use their problem-solving skills to figure out how to get out of the cardboard box.
