Project 0: Fun with Large Language Models
Overview
“ChatGPT doesn’t give you information. It gives you information-shaped sentences.” - Neil Gaiman
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT generate text in a randomized manner according to a learned probability
distribution. Consequently, there is no guarantee that the text they generate is correct or even coherent. In this
assignment, you will elicit plausible-sounding but factually incorrect text from a large language model.
Assignment
For this assignment, you may work alone or in groups of up to five total students to do the following:
- Select one or more of the following LLMs for experimentation:
- Try various prompts to attempt to coerce the LLM to generate a compelling but factually incorrect essay.
- Generate at least ten candidate essays, and select an essay with interesting mistakes that the group considers
to be compelling and interesting.
- Your group will present your prompt and resulting essay to the class on Friday, August 29.
- Submit the AI you employed, your prompt, and the generated essay via Teams
- After all essays have been presented, every student in the class will cast one vote for their favorite essay.
Assessment
This project is intended to be short, informal, and fun. Consequently, the project is optional -
the assessment consists entirely of bonus credits, assigned as follows:
- One credit for devising and presenting the essay, discussing the LLM selected, the strategy
behind the prompt, and clear identification of the factual errors contained therein.
- A second credit for receiving a plurality of votes from the class.