General purpose technology
- 21 Oct 2023

GPT: the double meaning most people miss ... Don't be one of them đ
You learnt that GPT, as in ChatGPT, means Generative Pretrained Transformers. A shortcut for a technicality.
Like a spec sheet.
But it's not just that. GPT also means General Purpose Technology.
Think Writing, Steam engine, Electricity, Internet â the tech game-changers. đđĄ
These have been studied extensively.
Electricity didn't flip the switch overnight. Steam engines didn't make the horses obsolete in one day. FIrst time you "tried" Internet and its empty search bar, you felt it was useless.
Their real influence took years, if not decade, to be felt âł
Same with AI, or GPT. Today, nothing is clear. Tomorrow it will be everywhere.
So, next time you drop the term "GPT" remember â it's not just tech. It's a prophecy đ
Now the real question : did openAI, that invented the acronym GPT and made it a brand, do it on purpose ? Or they were lucky đ
GIve me your vote đ
Text drafted through a chat with an AI model. Visual: Stable Diffusion or DALL-E 3.
Transformation and final editing by Jean-Paul Paoli.