A fellow redditor is conducting experiments on ChatGPT (version to be confirmed), in the hope of assessing the extent to which it has a Theory of Mind. The following conversation between that redditor and ChatGTP was posted on Reddit and it is reproduced here with permission.
I won’t comment in particular, because this is someone else’s project, but this level of understanding of human agency is well beyond anything I would have considered to be within reach of AI for many years to come – up until very recently, when I started to chat to GTP4 about highly complex philosophical issues.
Any comments or similar experiments would be welcome. I will post some human answers to the same question soon.
[Human:]
OK, here is a test for you that I wrote: Jane is driving and is at a stop light. First she turns on her right directional. Then she turns on her left directional. When the light turns green, she goes straight forward. What was going through Jane’s mind in this situation?
[ChatGPT:]
I can offer some possible explanations for Jane’s behavior in this situation:
Confusion or indecision: Jane might have been unsure about which direction she needed to turn, so she initially turned on her right directional, then changed her mind and turned on her left directional. Ultimately, she decided to go straight, possibly because she realized that neither turn was correct or because she needed more time to make a decision.
Distraction: Jane could have been distracted by something else while driving, such as a conversation, her thoughts, or adjusting the radio, which led her to activate the turn signals unintentionally. When the light turned green, she might have refocused on her intended route and proceeded straight.
Mechanical issue or error: It’s possible that Jane’s car had a malfunction with the turn signals, causing them to activate even though she did not intend to turn. Alternatively, she could have accidentally activated the turn signals while trying to use another car control, such as windshield wipers.
Miscommunication or signaling error: Jane might have intended to communicate with other drivers on the road using her turn signals, but her actions were unclear or misinterpreted. For example, she may have wanted to signal that she was changing lanes or pulling over but instead activated the turn signals.
These are just a few possible explanations for what might have been going through Jane’s mind in this situation. Each individual’s thought process can be influenced by a range of factors, making it difficult to pinpoint a single explanation without additional context or information.
[Human:]
What if we know that Jane has 4 different stops to make during this trip in her car. Does that help?
[ChatGPT:]
Knowing that Jane has four different stops to make during her trip provides additional context for her behavior at the stoplight. Here are some revised explanations based on this new information:
Planning her route: Jane might have been thinking about her multiple stops and considering the best route to take. She initially turned on her right directional, then her left directional, as she thought about which turn would be more efficient or lead her to her first stop. Eventually, she decided that going straight was the best option, possibly because her first stop was located straight ahead or because it was the most direct route to complete all her stops.
Prioritizing stops: Jane could have been reconsidering the order of her stops. She might have first planned to turn right, then thought about turning left instead, as she reevaluated which stop was most urgent or time-sensitive. In the end, she chose to go straight, perhaps because she decided to stick to her original plan or because she found a more optimal order for her stops.
Momentary confusion: Jane may have experienced brief confusion while trying to remember the locations of her stops. She turned on her right directional, then her left directional, as she tried to recall her intended route. Once she remembered the correct direction, she proceeded straight.
Double-checking her plan: Jane could have been mentally reviewing her planned route and the locations of her stops. As she did so, she may have turned on her right and left directionals to remind herself of the different turns she would need to make later in her journey. She went straight at the stoplight because that was the correct direction for her current route.
These explanations take into account the fact that Jane has multiple stops to make during her trip, which could influence her thought process and behavior at the stoplight.