Powerful tool or too powerful? Early public discourse about ChatGPT across 4 million tweets.

Journal: PloS one
Published Date:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This paper investigates initial exuberance and emotions surrounding ChatGPT's first three months of launch (1 December 2022-1 March 2023). The impetus for studying active discussions surrounding its implications, fears, and opinions is motivated by its nascent popularity and potential to disrupt existing professions; compounded by its significance as a crucial inflexion point in history. Capturing the public zeitgeist on new innovations-much like the advent of the printing press, radio, newspapers, or the internet-provides a retrospective overview of public sentiments, common themes, and issues.

Authors

  • Reuben Ng
    Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, 469C Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 259772, Singapore.
  • Ting Yu Joanne Chow
    Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.