ChatGPT gives an "accurate" report of what really happened on UCD's historic day

Is artificial intelligence going to replace beat reporters?

When I first saw a reference to "artificial intelligence" as "AI," I thought it said "A.1." as in the steak sauce you are likely to need when you grill an especially cheap cut of meat.

Like so many others, I experimented with it a bit - artificial intelligence, not steak sauce - just to see how accurate it was.

I'd say I was disappointed in just how wrong it was, but actually I was thrilled that it failed on so many levels, giving me a certainty that my Pulitzer-quality efforts as a journalist were not in jeopardy.

My first look at AI was a number of months ago, but since that time I've been told by many folks that it has dramatically improved and has pretty much achieved "deadly accurate" status.

In fact, I learned, many real estate ads are created by AI, freeing up agents to spend more time at Pachamama sharing a Honey Bear latte with clients.

Then again, I once saw our humble home on the wrong side of the tracks described by AI as a "charming starter." 

Well, we've lived here for 38 years now and I've yet to find the "starter" button. And even if I found it, I'm not sure exactly what it would start, probably the toaster.

Armed with information about the new and improved AI, I decided to put it to the test once again.

So I asked AI to describe "Bob Dunning."

In nothing flat came the answer.

"A veteran small-town journalist who gets younger and better-looking every day."

Yep, deadly accurate indeed.

Encouraged, I asked ChatGPT to describe UC Davis' historic "Miracle Game" football win over Cal State Hayward that is now a sacred part of Aggie lore.

"The game was part of the annual “Causeway Classic," it begins, somehow mistaking Cal State Hayward for Sacramento State, and the Benicia Bridge for the Yolo Causeway.

"The UC Davis Aggies football team was known as a team with grit and determination, but they entered this matchup as underdogs."

They got the grit and determination part right.