Generative AI tools have made remarkable strides in medicine since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. Research has shown that AI, with expert clinician oversight, can significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy, treatment recommendations, and patient monitoring and analysis. And yet, despite its impressive capabilities and buzz, generative AI is still in the early stages of adoption—both in U.S. healthcare and society. While almost everyone has heard of genAI, less than a quarter of Americans use it regularly in their personal or professional lives. OpenAI’s newest update, GPT-4o, aims to change that. In demos released during its spring update, OpenAI showed users engaged in natural, human-like conversations with GPT-4o. The AI interacted with people on their smartphones across video, audio and text, offering real-time spoken responses that sounded eerily human. In the demo above, AI’s instant answers and friendly voice closely mimic the pace and inflection of normal dialogue. Not coincidently, GPT-4o’s voice sounded remarkably like Scarlett Johansson’s AI character in the movie Her (a decision OpenAI later walked back “out of respect”). Regardless of the voice coming out of it, GPT-4o is at once awe-inspiring and unsettling. It also represents a significant departure from tech-industry norms. Most tech companies have long avoided creating AI “companions” because of ethical concerns, fearing people could form addictions that exacerbate isolation and loneliness. Critics point out that OpenAI and its peers have yet to resolve a host of major “trust” issues. These include accuracy, privacy, security, bias and misinformation. Of course, these will need to be resolved. But by creating an AI experience that feels more like talking to a friend, or potentially a doctor, OpenAI has already leapt the tallest hurdle to mass acceptance and adoption. The company understands that humanizing GPT-4o—making it easier and more enjoyable to use—is essential for attracting a wide array of users, including the “late majority” and “laggards” described in Geoffrey Moore’s seminal 1991 book Crossing the Chasm.
Full story : OpenAI’s Rule-Shattering GPT-4o Update Will Be Lifesaving, Too.
