As ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models sweep headlines and gather internet clout, the constantly evolving world of artificial intelligence has something new and exciting to offer. The talk of the town is Auto-GPT: an experimental open-source application that showcases the capabilities of the GPT-4 language model.
But in a haystack of impressive applications, what makes Auto-GPT the shiny, one-of-a-kind needle?
Here is what we know so far about the application.
What is Auto-GPT?
Auto-GPT is a free, open-source Python application which uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology. GPT-4 is a multimodal large language model created by OpenAI as part of its GPT series.
Auto-GPT also runs autonomously: which means it is capable of generating its own ideas and suggestions based on human input through prompts. Unlike ChatGPT, Auto-GPT requires very little human interaction and is able to self-prompt, through what it calls ‘added tasks.’
If a user tells the application what they want the end result to be, it will generate prompts by itself to reach the goal. In the case of ChatGPT, constant interaction between the machine and the user is required for the bot to generate answers.
The languages used in Auto-GPT include Python, Dockerfile, and Javascript.
Who developed Auto-GPT?
Auto-GPT was posted to GitHub, a platform for software developers, by a user named Significant Gravitas. A demo video was posted to the site on March 30, 2023. It is made using OpenAI’s latest and most advanced model from the GPT series, GPT-4.
What can Auto-GPT do?
The possibilities, as things are when it comes to the vast playground of AI, are seemingly endless. Auto-GPT has internet access, long-term and short-term memory management, GPT-4 for text generation and file storage and summarisation with GPT-3.5. It uses DALL-e for image generation as well.
It can generate test cases, debug code, and even stir up innovative business ideas. Twitter users who had the opportunity to test the tool tried out a variety of tasks: including carrying out research, finding a person’s digital footprint, and generating code.
One user even asked Auto-GPT to “reimagine the future of health and medicine,” which generated an interesting response.
In the original GitHub demo, prompts such as ‘increase net worth’, ‘grow Twitter Account’, ‘Develop and manage multiple businesses’ were shown as examples.
Is Auto-GPT AI?
Well, yes and no. Although Auto-GPT seems a shade similar to what ChatGPT and other AI chatbots offer to users, it is described as a glimpse into “Artificial General Intelligence” or AGI, which is a machine that is capable of understanding or learning any intellectual task that a human can. AI, on the other hand, carries out specific tasks that it is asked to perform. AGI applications can find solutions when faced with unfamiliar tasks as well.
However, AGI is still believed to be a hypothesis by many, so the topic of ‘AGI versus AI’ is still a debated one.
Who can access Auto-GPT?
Since Auto-GPT is a free, open-source application, it can be accessed by all. Unfortunately for those thrilled to hop on this GPT-coded train, the installation will require some time and patience. While ChatGPT can be accessed easily through its official platform, running Auto-GPT requires users to access the following: Python 3.8, an OpenAI API key, a PINECONE API key and an ElevenLabs Key.
After this, some technical steps are required. For a more detailed to-do list of how to run Auto-GPT, follow the instructions from the official gitHub post.
What are Auto-GPT’s limitations?
At the time of writing the story, Auto-GPT remains experimental, and is not a “polished” application or product, unlike chatbots such as ChatGPT. It might not perform well in complex, real-world business scenarios. As seen above, it is also complicated to use.
Auto-GPT could prove to be a powerful tool for many developers, businesses, and the general public, once the barrier of installation is crossed. However, if users wish to save access time, do not mind typing in prompts, and opt for more simple tasks, then ChatGPT may be the right fit.
Also read: Know how to access ChatGPT
