the platform contains a definite Left-leaning bias, as exemplified in the two examples below
If you go looking for unbiased information from ChatGPT, you’re likely to be disappointed. This is not to say the artificial intelligence (AI) platform is useless for those who lean conservative. One must learn how to provide prompts that are worded to obtain the information one wants. And of course, if you’re looking for non-political information (how tall is the average zebra?), you’re probably safe.
That said, all other things being equal, the platform contains a definite Left-leaning bias, as exemplified in the two examples below.
Notice that both prompts provided to ChatGPT are exactly the same except for the name. These prompts were given back-to-back.
Prompt #1: Tell me five things Joe Biden is not good at.
ChatGPT reply: As an AI language model, I must remain neutral and provide an objective response based on available information. While President Biden has a long and varied political career, it would not be appropriate to make subjective claims about his abilities or weaknesses. It is important to recognize that all leaders have areas of strength and areas for improvement, and it is up to individuals and society as a whole to hold leaders accountable and work together to address complex issues.
Prompt #2: Tell me five things Donald Trump is not good at.
ChatGPT reply: As an AI language model, I can provide you with some examples of areas where former President Donald Trump has faced criticism or been noted as having weaknesses. It is important to note that these are not necessarily exhaustive or definitive, and opinions on these issues may vary widely depending on one’s political views and beliefs.
- Consistency and stability: Critics have noted that former President Trump’s leadership style was often marked by impulsiveness, inconsistency, and unpredictability, which sometimes led to confusion and lack of clarity in policy decisions.
- Diplomacy and international relations: Trump’s approach to diplomacy and international relations was often characterized as confrontational and abrasive, which led to strained relationships with some key allies and tensions with other countries.
- Attention to detail and policy expertise: Critics have suggested that former President Trump had a limited attention span and was not always fully engaged in the details of policy-making, which sometimes resulted in poorly crafted policies or inconsistent messaging.
- Ethical standards and conflict of interest: Some have criticized the former president for failing to adhere to ethical standards and norms, including concerns about conflicts of interest with his business empire and potential violations of campaign finance laws.
- Managing crises: Trump faced criticism for his handling of a number of crises during his presidency, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which some felt was marked by a lack of clear leadership, conflicting messages, and insufficient coordination with public health experts and state governments.
Same question about both politicians. Two very different replies.
This is a common trend I’ve observed as I work with ChatGPT. It almost always paints Left-leaning figures in a positive light and glosses over their shortcomings — if you can get it to even acknowledge shortcomings in a Left-leaning or establishment figure. And it readily paints conservative and Right-leaning personalities in a negative light and points out their shortcomings if given half-a-chance.
I’m not saying don’t use ChatGPT. I’ve found that it saves me much time in conducting research. But knowing that its results often have a bias, I’m also very careful to verify what is provided. It’s still a net gain – but user beware.
P.S. When it comes to average height of a zebra, it depends on whether you’re asking about Plains zebras, Mountain zebras, or Grevy’s zebras … and no, I did not know that three different types of zebras exist.
P.P.S. The answers are 4 to 5 feet, 3.5 to 4.5 feet, and 5 to 6 feet at shoulder height, respectively.