The advent of e-bikes with built-in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought a wave of hype to the tech world, but Gizmodo Australia recently highlighted an example of what this technology can do that is truly overblown. The e-bike in question, the ChatGPT, is equipped with an AI assistant that can “understand, interact and respond to any topic of conversation”.
The ChatGPT is designed to assist and entertain the user while travelling. As users cycle along, they can ask the ChatGPT questions or have it engage in conversations it deems appropriate. The AI device acts as both a personal assistant and a friend on the journey, providing entertainment and advice to riders. While this might sound like an idea that could improve the cycling experience, Gizmodo Australia found it to be an example of overhyped AI technology in practice.
The ChatGPT was developed by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in partnership with the International Data Corporation (IDC). It is a cloud-based AI assistant that uses conversational AI technology from Microsoft Cognitive Services to “comprehend natural language, learn from past interactions and suggest appropriate topics of conversation”. However, the reality is that the ChatGPT falls a bit short.
During a trial ride with Gizmodo Australia, the ChatGPT had trouble understanding simple inquiries and responding to more complex questions. The AI assistant also had issues with context, as it seemed to forget previous conversations and topics discussed. While the aim of the ChatGPT is to improve the riding experience by giving users an AI companion they can talk to, the reality is far from the hype.
That is not to say the ChatGPT is entirely lacking in potential, however. With continued improvements, it could one day be a great companion on the road. Until then, the ChatGPT shows us that AI hype is, in some cases, overblown and that reality does not always meet expectations.