Without cracking a single textbook, without spending a day in medical school, the co-author of a preprint study correctly answered enough questions that it would have passed the real US Medical Licensing Examination. But the test-taker wasn’t a member of Mensa or a medical specialist; it was the artificial intelligence ChatGPT. The tool, which was created to answer user questions in a conversational manner, has generated so much buzz that doctors and scientists are trying to determine what its limitations are and what it could do for health and medicine.
The medical licensing exam is generally considered one of the toughest of any profession because it not only tests basic science, medical knowledge, but also assesses clinical reasoning, ethics (道德观念), critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The AI passed all the parts of the exam without any specialized training, showing a high level of insight in its explanations. This greatly impressed Dr. Victor Tseng, a medical director of the California-based group and a co-author of the study. “Googling the answer is very difficult,” he explained. “Because there’re a lot of red herrings on the Internet. It might take hours to get an accurate answer.” But ChatGPT was able to do it within five seconds.
The results of the medical licensing exam study were even written up with the help of ChatGPT. However, the journal Nature created guidelines that said no such program could be credited as an author because “any authorship carries with it accountability for the work, and AI tools cannot take such responsibility.” Actually, AI is only as good as the information it’s fed, and with so much inaccurate information available online about things like Covid-19 vaccines, it could use that to generate inaccurate results.
Tseng said he ultimately thinks ChatGPT can enhance medical practice, but won’t replace doctors. Tseng’s group will continue to test it to learn why it creates certain errors and what other ethical factors need to be put in place before using it for real.
“AI is here. The doors are open,” Tseng said. “I firmly believe that it will actually make me and make us as physicians and providers better.”
12. What can ChatGPT possibly do according to paragraph 1?
A.Study in medical school. | B.Start an online conversation. |
C.Conduct a study independently. | D.Pass a challenging examination. |
13. What does underlined words “red herrings” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Appealing topics. | B.Efficient helpers. | C.Hidden resources. | D.Distracting facts. |
14. According to Nature, ChatGPT can’t be listed as an author because_______
A.it has invented all the data based on inaccurate information |
B.it doesn’t actively create and is not responsible for the work |
C.it doesn’t have a bank account and can’t receive payment |
D.it has failed to demonstrate problem-solving skills |
15. What is Tseng’s attitude towards the future of ChatGPT?
A.Interested yet doubtful. | B.Disinterested and calm. |
C.Confident yet cautious. | D.Critical and disappointed. |