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🐈 Breaking down the Google vs. ChatGPT debate

PLUS: GPT-3 tries to become a lawyer

Goooooood morning! This is The Neuron, where just like Matthew McConaughey, we chase our future selves. Alright, alright, alright.

Today in AI:

  • Is It Time for Google to Panic?

  • GPT-3 Takes the Bar

  • Around the Horn

  • Leo Sends His Regards

Is It Time for Google to Panic?

ChatGPT blows people's minds β†’Β people start whispering about Google.

Here's the conversation so far:

  • ChatGPT gives a more streamlined experience. Ask a question, get an answer vs. type 5 keywords and scroll through a bunch of links to find the right site.

  • But, ChatGPT gets stuff wrong and would be too expensive. Plus, Google's PaLM is better than GPT 3. Today's ChatGPT doesn't come close to a threat.

  • Still, that doesn't mean it can't happen.

Yup, that's enough to send Twitter spinning.

Some people think it's just a matter of time before ChatGPT takes over. Others think the reports of Google's death are greatly exaggerated.

Our take: In the short-term, Google isn't going anywhere. But it can't deny that this new technology is powerful. It'll have to figure out a few things:

  • What searches is the ChatGPT way actually better for? Google's way better for "nba scores" but maybe it's better at "how to set up a vertical farm at home".

  • Can you make it fresh, fast and cheap? Google discovers hundreds of trillions of webpages a year. Search results in an instant. Is it even possible for ChatGPT to get to the same level without breaking the bank?

  • Can you continue to print that cold hard cash? It's risky to touch the golden goose. They'd only take a page from ChatGPT if the numbers work. #4 most profitable public company doesn't come easy, you know.

  • (most importantly) Is Google the right company to face this challenge? Or is the 300,000 employee staff too big to stave off a startup competitor?

CEO Sundar Pichai just got a new $210 million stock package. Time to see if that's too much or not enough.

GPT-3 Takes the Bar

GPT-3 lost a bet and had to take...the bar exam.

Every year, 60,000 bright-eyed, debt-carrying law school grads set their sights on the final boss: the bar.

It's a grueling task - essay questions, a mock case and a 200-question multiple-choice test over 2 days.

To prepare, you study 400 hours just for the bar exam alone. About 60% pass.

Well, two researchers dragged a factory-setting GPT-3 model out of bed and shoved it in a room with a proctor and two pencils to take a part of it.

How'd it do? Better than we could, but at 50% accuracy, it didn't meet the usual 60-65% minimum needed to pass.

Good at Civil Procedure, Evidence and Torts, especially bad at Criminal Law and Procedure. Let's maybe keep GPT-3 away from criminal cases for a bit.

Fun side note: They tried to make GPT-3 study before taking the test and it actually did worse.

Even though, GPT-3 couldn't pass muster, we think its bigger bro GPT-4 is up for the challenge. We'll report back when they try again 🫑

Around the Horn

Leo Sends His Regards

That's all we have for today. See you cool cats on Twitter if you're there: @nonmayorpete and @TheNeuronDaily

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