Top 6 Main Limitations of GPT Models

1. Sometimes They Get Facts Mixed Up

Imagine if your friend told you that dogs could fly or that the moon was made of cheese. You’d know that’s not right, right? Well, GPT models can sometimes make similar mistakes.

These AI helpers are really good at putting words together in a way that sounds correct, but they don’t always know if what they’re saying is true. They learn from a lot of information on the internet, but they can’t always tell what’s fact and what’s fiction.

For example, a GPT model might confidently tell you that Abraham Lincoln invented the telephone, which we know isn’t true. This is why it’s always a good idea to double-check important information, especially for school projects!

2. They Can’t Keep Up with the Latest News

GPT models are like huge libraries of information, but imagine if that library stopped getting new books after a certain date. That’s kind of what happens with these AI models.

They’re trained on information up to a certain point in time, and after that, they don’t know about new things that happen in the world. So if you ask them about a movie that just came out last week or about yesterday’s big sports game, they might not have any idea what you’re talking about.

This is why GPT models aren’t great for talking about current events or getting the latest news. They’re more like a really smart history book than a live news channel.

3. They Don’t Really Understand What They’re Saying

Here’s a tricky one to understand: GPT models can write about almost anything, but they don’t truly understand the meaning behind their words like humans do.

Think of it like a parrot that can repeat words perfectly but doesn’t know what they mean. GPT models are much smarter than parrots, of course, but they still don’t have real understanding or emotions.

This means they can sometimes write things that don’t make sense if you think about them deeply. They might use words in the wrong context or create stories with plot holes because they don’t truly understand the concepts they’re writing about.

4. They Can’t Learn from Conversations

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could teach the AI new things just by talking to it? Unfortunately, that’s not how GPT models work.

Every time you start a new chat with a GPT model, it’s like meeting them for the first time. They don’t remember your previous conversations or learn from them. This means you might have to repeat information or instructions if you’re working on a long project.

It’s like if you had a friend who forgot everything you told them as soon as you said goodbye. It can be a bit frustrating if you want the AI to remember your preferences or learn from its mistakes.

5. They Can Sometimes Be Biased or Unfair

GPT models learn from information created by humans, and sometimes that information can include unfair ideas or stereotypes.

This means the AI might sometimes say things that are biased against certain groups of people without meaning to.

For example, it might assume all doctors are men or all nurses are women, which we know isn’t true. It’s important to remember that these AIs don’t have personal opinions – they’re just repeating patterns they’ve seen in their training data.

This is why it’s crucial to have humans check the AI’s work, especially when it comes to important topics like fairness and equality.

6. They Can’t See or Interact with the Real World

Imagine if you had a really smart friend who knew lots of things, but they lived in a bubble and couldn’t see, hear, or touch anything outside of it. That’s kind of like how GPT models are!

These AI helpers are super good at working with words and information, but they don’t have any way to see pictures, listen to sounds, or interact with the physical world around us. This means there are lots of things they can’t do:

• They can’t look at a photo and tell you what’s in it.
• They can’t listen to a song and hum along.
• They can’t smell cookies baking or feel how soft a puppy’s fur is.

This limitation means that GPT models can sometimes miss important context that we get from our senses. For example, if you asked a GPT model to describe your bedroom, it couldn’t do it because it can’t see your room. Or if you wanted help identifying a bird you saw in your backyard, the GPT model couldn’t look at it or listen to its chirp.

This is why GPT models are great for tasks involving language and information, but not so great for things that require seeing, hearing, or interacting with the physical world. For those tasks, humans (like you!) still have a big advantage over AI.