Abstract

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. The chatbot specialises in realistic dialogue and was launched in November 2022. It has drawn a lot of attention (e.g. The Guardian, 2022) due to its detailed responses and articulate responses (BBC, 2022 & New York Times, 2022). You need to access ChatGPT through a VPN in Hong Kong. However, this is relatively straightforward to do. Once you create an account, you get to a simple chatbot interface. You can
then interact with ChatGPT by using natural questions and dialogue, such as you would use if chatting to a friend. Given its ability to use natural language, ChatGPT has great potential to be a language learner’s assistant. This article starts with a brief summary of how computer assisted language learning (CALL) has developed over the last few decades to bring us to this point in early 2023 where we have a
chatbot that can have human-like conversations with the user. It then reviews some of the author’s initial interactions with ChatGPT including writing answers to common assessment questions at university and writing a short email. The author further experimented with ChatGPT by asking it to give feedback on student scripts, and finally asked ChatGPT questions related to its use for language learning and related to plagiarism. This review ends with a discussion about the implications of students using ChatGPT and the possible actions that language centres can take to deal with this issue.

 

Link to publication in STiLE