Question Time: Is ChatGPT a mad genius? And why do I write so casually about my medical adventures?

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New procedure, following on Jackson Houser’s innovation last week: If you have questions for next week, put them in the comments below rather than waiting for Wednesday. Comments on the posts—and on the proposed questions—are also welcome.

Jackson asks two questions:

Q1. You know, I’m sure, of the odd story that a valuable contributor to the development of the Oxford English Dictionary was institutionalized in an asylum for the criminally insane. I mention it because you and others have lamented the susceptibility of Chat GPT to “hallucinations.” Should we treat Chat GPT and similar entities like the OED contributor: ‘a genius! But, alas, also insane’?