Over the last several months, tech websites, the general media, and others have become hot and bothered over OpenAI's ChatGPT artificial intelligence platform. Some have even said and suggested that Google search and search results pages will quickly become obsolete as we know them today. I had started to think that perhaps I could use ChatGPT to help with some writing for BestMVNO and CompareWirelessCarriers. While ChatGPT is a promising technology, the breaks on it may need to be pumped just a bit.
I recently asked ChatGPT to explain the differences between Visible by Verizon's Visible and Visible+ plans. It failed catastrophically. In fact, it downright made things up about Visible+, and it didn't get the basic Visible plan right either.
Before we dive into what ChatGPT said about the plans, it needs to be stated that ChatGPT is only trained on data up until 2021 and it is not capable of browsing the internet. The Visible and Visible+ plans were released in August of 2022 so it really shouldn't know what those plans are. And it should have been able to tell me that, but it didn't. With that being said, here's the essay that ChatGPT wrote for me when specifically asked "what's the difference between Visible and Visible+ phone plans?"
ChatGPT's response:
"Visible and Visible+ are both prepaid wireless phone plans offered by Visible, a subsidiary of Verizon. The main difference between the two plans is the amount of data included, as well as the ability to add multiple lines.
The Visible plan includes unlimited data, talk, and text for $40 per month, with speeds up to 5 Mbps. This plan is suitable for individuals who need the basics and want a low-cost option for their phone service.
The Visible+ plan, on the other hand, includes unlimited data, talk, and text for $70 per month, with speeds up to 200 Mbps. This plan is designed for those who need more data, faster speeds, and the ability to add up to 4 additional lines. The extra cost of the Visible+ plan covers the additional speed and multiple lines, making it an ideal choice for families or groups of friends who want to share a phone plan.
Both Visible and Visible+ plans include taxes and fees in the price, making them more straightforward and affordable than traditional phone plans. They also include mobile hotspot capabilities, unlimited international texting, and discounts on select products and services.
In conclusion, the main difference between Visible and Visible+ is the amount of data included, as well as the ability to add multiple lines. The Visible plan is an affordable option for individuals who want basic phone service, while the Visible+ plan is designed for those who need more data, faster speeds, and the ability to add multiple lines."
WTF? Ouch!!
Where did ChatGPT get this from? The difference between Visible and Visible+ has nothing to do with the amount of data included or the ability to add multiple lines. Both plans include unlimited data and offer multiple lines of service. And the Visible plan is nothing at all like ChatGPT describes. The Visible plan is $30/month and does not have a 5Mbps speed limit. However, when Visible first launched back in 2018, it did offer a $40/month plan with data speeds limited to 5Mbps. That speed cap restriction went away in June of 2019, so ChatGPT should have done better here.
And for Visible+? Visible has never at all had a plan costing $70/month. Where in the world did it get this from? Data speeds on the plan aren't limited to 200Mbps either.
The ChatGPT fail isn't just limited to writing about Visible by Verizon. Jon Horovitz recently wrote an article for BestMVNO entitled "What Is A.I. And What Does It Mean For MVNOs?"
As part of his essay, Jon asked ChatGPT "what is the state of the MVNO industry in the US?" The engine's response was mostly correct in its output but it was a bit bland. And it did get a major concept wrong, that it shouldn't have. ChatGPT said that "one of the major challenges faced by MVNOs is the high cost of acquiring customers." While this can be true, it said one of those costs has to do with "the high cost of building and maintaining the necessary infrastructure." MVNOs don't build and maintain network infrastructure. That's something that the parent network carrier does, also known as MNO (mobile network operator). It seems ChatGPT confused the difference between MVNO and MNO.
So while ChatGPT is still something to get excited about, its output is something that users should examine carefully and it shouldn't always be taken to be factually correct. ChatGPT didn't fail at everything I asked it to do. It wrote a fairly decent article explaining eSIM when asked. And it also wrote a fairly nice bio about me, although it may have embellished things a bit. Ryan Reynolds even used it to help him write a video ad about Mint Mobile.