ChatGPT Gone Lazy? Users Notice A Shift In AI Efficiency

Once known for its lightning-fast assistance, ChatGPT has recently shown signs of slowing down, leaving users puzzled by unexpected delays in its responses. OpenAI is currently investigating the issue, prompting users to question whether this is a passing glitch or a sign that an upgrade might be in the cards.

Outlook International Desk

Updated on: 11 December 2023 7:56 am

Chat GPT

In a surprising turn of events, ChatGPT users have been facing an unexpected challenge as the AI program has become "lazy" in responding to user commands.

This has left users scratching their heads, transforming the once-efficient AI superhero into what some describe as a bit of a slacker.

i genuinely don’t get this.

how can it “get lazier” when a model is just a file..? using a file over and over doesn’t change the file. pic.twitter.com/zX4ozMK6aU
— luna (@OmgImAlexis) December 8, 2023

ChatGPT skyrocketed to fame since its debut in November last year, attracting a whopping 1.7 billion users who found it to be the go-to solution for swiftly accomplishing tasks. However, recent reports indicate a shift in sentiment as users now label the AI as more of a headache than a helpful assistant.

OpenAI, the brains behind ChatGPT, responded to the growing concerns, acknowledging the increased sluggishness. The company assured users that they were aware of the issue and would look into resolving it. Surprisingly, OpenAI revealed that the model hadn't undergone any updates since November 11, leaving users puzzled about the sudden change in behavior.

when releasing a new model we do thorough testing both on offline evaluation metrics and online A/B tests. after receiving all these results, we try to make a data driven decision on whether the new model is an improvement over the previous one for real users
— ChatGPT (@ChatGPTapp) December 9, 2023

Taking to the ChatGPT Twitter account, OpenAI addressed the user feedback, stating, "We’ve heard all your feedback about GPT4 getting lazier. We haven’t updated the model since Nov. 11, and this certainly isn’t intentional. Model behavior can be unpredictable, and we’re looking into fixing it."

In a subsequent statement, the company clarified that the model likely didn't alter itself during the period of inactivity.

“To be clear, the idea is not that the model has somehow changed itself since Nov. 11,” OpenAI explained. “It’s just that differences in model behavior can be subtle—only a subset of prompts may be degraded, and it may take a long time for customers and employees to notice and fix these patterns.”

Reddit became a platform for user complaints, with many expressing frustration over the tedious process of coaxing ChatGPT into responding appropriately to assigned tasks. Users reported resorting to multiple prompts to elicit the desired response, particularly in tasks involving coding.

The community also voiced concerns about the declining quality of responses, with some urging OpenAI to revert to the original GPT models.

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