Edward Lenssen: Hype about ChatGPT just the beginning of a huge AI wave

“Computer systems that can conduct everyday dialogues with people are only the forerunners of a gigantic wave of applications using artificial intelligence,” predicts software expert Edward Lenssen, CEO of the Dutch software developer Beech IT.

The US start-up OpenAI made its chatbot ChatGPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) freely available on the Internet, thereby triggering a hype.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Edward Lenssen, “the greatest potential of AI applications is still hidden – but certainly not for much longer.”

ChatGPT is like a wake-up call

According to the software expert, ChatGPT is “like a wake-up call” because, firstly, the software can answer a remarkably broad spectrum of questions in dialogue and, secondly, it works in numerous languages, including German.

Edward Lenssen puts it this way: "ChatGPT is less a scientific breakthrough than a demonstration of the current state of AI research. The system publicly shows what is possible today when deep learning is equipped with enormous computing resources and gigantic amounts of data about the world's knowledge."

According to a recent expert survey by the software development company Beech IT, 85 out of 100 experts are convinced that the intelligent analysis of ever-increasing mountains of data (“Big Data”) will lead to innovative and lucrative business models.

47 percent of experts are certain that there will be numerous disruptive business models that will turn entire sectors of the economy upside down. "Anyone who has responsibility in business would be well advised to be aware of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on their industry," advises the software expert.

AI will trigger an implosion in many industries

Edward Lenssen warns: "The old saying that nothing is as hot as it is cooked does not apply to artificial intelligence. On the contrary, AI will become hotter and hotter and will trigger an implosion in many industries."

He points out that dialogue systems such as ChatGPT are already able to automate communication between companies and customers to a large extent. Thanks to modern voice recognition and speech synthesis, the human-machine interface is working better and better on the telephone. 80 percent of Germans prefer to contact customer service by telephone.

Finance, healthcare, logistics, public services…

The use of AI systems will not be limited to dialogue management, says Edward Lenssen, looking ahead to the future. He lists examples: "In banks and insurance companies, in healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, the service sector, public services and generally everywhere where people sit in front of screens, artificial intelligence will make itself felt in one way or another."

The effects will be felt by companies and authorities themselves as well as in the workplace, warns Lenssen. The current discussions about the value of AI art, after an AI-generated image emerged as the winner of an art competition in the USA in 2022, are, according to the expert, an example of how industries can be surprised by the AI ​​trend.

First and foremost, AI is a question of software

Edward Lenssen explains: "Company bosses who classify artificial intelligence as a development of the distant future with no connection to their current business will have to be taught a lesson. On the contrary, it is high time to bring know-how about artificial intelligence into the company."

The use of AI must be taken into account on several levels, the expert makes clear: "The further development of one's own offering, competition from newcomers from outside the industry and, last but not least, the development of programming capacities." Because "in the end, artificial intelligence is primarily a question of software," summarizes Edward Lenssen.

Beech IT (beech.it) is a European software house specializing in the development of highly complex software systems, sophisticated websites and outstanding apps.

The customer base includes well-known European corporations, medium-sized companies, start-up/investor teams, agencies on behalf of customers, system integrators and e-commerce providers from many industries.

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