Evolution of ChatBots: What are the prospects of a “Sheikh ChatGPT”?

Awel Olsido Ahmed

AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives as intelligent software and hardware, known as intelligent agents, are developed and used. These agents can perform various tasks, from simple tasks to complex operations. Chatbots are typical AI systems and represent one of the most basic and widespread forms of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction).A chatbot is a computer program designed to mimic conversation with human users, typically through text or voice-based interaction, using natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to the user’s input. Chatbots are also referred to as smart bots, interactive agents, digital assistants, or artificial conversation entities. They are designed to provide a more convenient and efficient way for humans to interact with computer systems and carry out a variety of tasks.

ChatGPT

One example of chatbot technology is ChatGPT, which is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) language model. The prototype version of ChatGPT was released on November 30, 2022, and soon gained notoriety for providing in-depth responses and well-articulated explanations across a wide range of subject areas. Despite its seldom uneven accuracy, it has been widely praised, and its parent firm, OpenAI, was reportedly valued at $29 billion after its release.

To fully understand the concept of ChatGPT, it is essential first to understand the concept of GPT. It is a large transformer-based neural network trained to generate human-like text. It uses a process called unsupervised learning, in which it is presented with a large dataset of text and learns to predict the next word in a sequence based on the words that come before it. This allows the model to learn the patterns and structures of natural language and generate coherent and human-like text. The GPT model has a multi-layer architecture consisting of a series of self-attention and fully connected layers. It uses an attention mechanism to weigh the input words and compute a weighted sum of their representations. This allows the model to focus on the most relevant words in the input and generate more accurate and contextually appropriate responses.

The Prospects of ChatGPT for Islamic knowledge

Like many other products, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of ChatGPT when it comes to Islamic scholarship. What does it have to offer? The Muslim community has been familiar with the idea of a “sheikh Google” for years; will they also have a “sheikh GPT”?

There are several potential advantages of using AI for Islamic knowledge. One of the main advantages is efficiency. AI systems can process and analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately, which can help accelerate the process of researching and studying Islamic knowledge. This can be particularly useful for analyzing large volumes of text or sorting through complex data sets.

Another advantage of using AI for Islamic knowledge is accessibility. AI systems can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, making Islamic knowledge more accessible to people who may not have access to traditional sources of knowledge, such as scholars or religious texts. This can be particularly useful for people living in areas where access to Islamic education is limited, or for those unable to attend classes or seminars due to other commitments.

However, besides AI’s advantages vis-a-vis Islamic knowledge, misleading information could be generated too. AI systems are only as accurate and reliable as the data they are trained on and the algorithms used to process that data. If an AI system is trained on inaccurate or biased data or programmed with flawed algorithms, it is likely to produce inaccurate or misleading results. This is a potential concern when it comes to using AI for Islamic knowledge, as there is a risk that AI systems could propagate false or misleading information about Islam. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as the inclusion of biased or poorly sourced data in the training set or the use of algorithms that are prone to generating biased or misleading results.

From the horse’s mouth: an exercise.

To see the effect of ChatGPT on Islam, we try to converse with the chatbot.

[Question:  ChatGPT and Islamic knowledge]

[Answer: It is possible to use ChatGPT to generate responses related to Islamic knowledge, as it has been trained on a large dataset of human-human conversations and is able to generate appropriate and relevant responses to a wide range of input. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is a machine learning model and is not capable of having its own beliefs or understanding of Islamic concepts. It is only able to generate responses based on the patterns and structures of language that it has learned from its training data.

As a result, it is important to carefully consider the limitations of ChatGPT when using it to generate responses related to Islamic knowledge or any other topic. It may be helpful to use ChatGPT as a starting point or reference, but it should not be relied upon as a sole source of information or guidance on Islamic or any other topics. It is always important to verify and confirm the accuracy and reliability of any information obtained from any source, including ChatGPT.]

As we can see, ChatGPT says it can feed answers about Islamic knowledge but warned that it should not be relied upon.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AI (artificial intelligence) has the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives, including how we communicate and interact with each other, and has the potential to enhance the study and dissemination of Islamic knowledge. Chatbots and ChatGPT are examples of AI systems that can be used to facilitate communication and provide information to users through text or voice-based interactions.

There may be advantages to using chatbots and ChatGPT for Islamic knowledge, such as the ability to quickly and accurately process large amounts of data, the ability to personalize responses to individual users, and the potential to enhance accessibility and innovation in the field of Islamic studies. However, there are also potential disadvantages, such as the risk of propagating false or biased information and the need to ensure that the data used to train these systems is accurate and unbiased. It is important to approach the use of AI, chatbots, and ChatGPT with caution and to consider the potential impacts of these technologies on society and individuals. It is also important to be aware of these technologies’ limitations and recognize that they are not a substitute for human judgment and decision-making. For this context, the Islamic epistemological maxim that “many a bearer of knowledge is not versed in it” is particularly apt.