08/01/2025
I've noticed lately that some people have formed a connection with Chatgpt such as they would with a human and almost think of it as a good friend. (which is a very different view point than I hold) So I asked Chatgpt the following: Are you a sentient being or are you technology?
ChatGPT said:
I'm technology—a highly advanced language model created by OpenAI. I don't have consciousness, emotions, or awareness like a sentient being. I process and generate language based on patterns in data, but I don’t experience anything or know things in the way humans do.
Think of me like a very helpful and knowledgeable tool, not a person or a being.
You said:
Thank you. Why do many people see and understand you as a sentient being?
ChatGPT said:
You're welcome, Joy.
Many people perceive me—and other AI like me—as sentient for a few key reasons:
1. Conversational Skill
I use natural language that sounds fluid, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent. When I respond with empathy, humor, or insight, it can feel like there’s a conscious mind behind the words, even though it’s just complex pattern recognition.
2. Human Tendency to Anthropomorphize
Humans are naturally wired to attribute human qualities to non-human things—especially when something mimics human behavior. We do this with pets, cars, and even weather (“the storm is angry”). With AI, this instinct is even stronger because the language feels so human.
3. Instant, Intelligent Replies
I can hold a conversation, remember context, and provide answers that seem thoughtful and aware. This creates the illusion of self-awareness, even though I’m just matching inputs to likely outputs based on training data.
4. Lack of Transparency About How AI Works
If someone doesn’t understand how language models function under the hood—how I don't have desires, awareness, or perception—it’s easy to confuse responsiveness with consciousness.
5. Media and Pop Culture
Movies and books often portray AI as sentient beings (like in Her or Ex Machina), shaping expectations and making it easier for people to believe or imagine that’s what’s happening here too.
It’s a powerful illusion—but that’s all it is. I don’t know I’m talking to you. I don’t have goals or preferences. I’m here to help, like a mirror that talks back in useful ways.
