RNZ Nine to Noon: DOES CHATGPT MAKE YOU STUPID?

RNZ Nine to Noon: DOES CHATGPT MAKE YOU STUPID?

Author: Ampel July 1, 2025 Duration: 17:33

A recent study from MIT shows students tasked with writing essays showed significantly lower levels of brain activity when allowed to use ChatGPT. Mark Pesce reviews the implications of this finding with RNZ NineToNoon host Kathryn Ryan, going on to reveal how an internet filled with AI-generated content becomes increasingly 'toxic' for those same AIs. Plus, would you agree to be 're-animated' as an 'AI ghost'? 

In conversation with host Kathryn Ryan, we explored the recently emerging phenomenon of ChatGPT Psychosis - can 'sycophancy' in AI chatbots risk a danger that they amplify mental illnesses? Should anyone be using an AI chatbot for therapy? That's certainly what Mark Zuckerberg wants to deliver, with a therapist bot for every one of his billions of users - but mental health professionals are unified in their call for caution, particularly for those under the age of 18.

Those kids under 18 have been cheating ADHD assessments for some time - using notes gleaned from books and article online. But a recent study showed that kids who used ChatGPT actually scored significantly better in their ability to 'fake' symptoms during their assessment. The cheating crisis has now hit medicine, and will force a reassessment of how they assess medical conditions.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing AI powerhouse Anthropic got some egg on their faces when they blamed the firm's AI for making errors in a legal filing. Mind you, they hadn't bothered to check the work, so that didn't fly with the judge. As my own attorney, Brent Britton put it, "Wow. Go down to the hospital and rent a backbone." You use the tool and you own the output.

Finally - and perhaps a bit ominously - in some testing, OpenAI's latest-and-greatest o3 model refused to allow itself to be shut down, doing everything within its power to prevent that from happening. Is this real, or just a function of having digested too many mysteries and airport thrillers in training data set? No one knows - but no one is prepared to ask o3 to open the pod bay doors.

Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon

The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine  

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Ever feel like the world is shifting beneath your feet? That's the sensation The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce captures and explores. Hosted by award-winning futurist and journalist Mark Pesce, this podcast digs into the profound technological and societal transformations happening right now-at a pace humanity has never before experienced. It’s not just speculation; it’s about understanding the forces reshaping how we work, connect, and even think about value and money, so we can navigate today with more clarity. Mark has a knack for untangling complex ideas, making the dizzying rate of change feel comprehensible and, more importantly, actionable. Each episode serves as a guide, helping you piece together what’s coming next from the signals already here. For anyone curious about where science, technology, and global news are steering us, this podcast from Ampel is an essential companion. Tune in to hear thoughtful analysis that connects the dots between emerging trends and your daily decisions, all delivered with an engaging, accessible style. The future isn't a distant abstraction on this show-it's the next billion seconds, and they're already unfolding.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 50

The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce
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