We are honoring the top 10 winners of our Student STEM Writing Contest by publishing their essays. This one is by Andrei Li.
What Is ChatGPT & Why Should Programmers Care About It?
Watching the recent advancements in large learning models like GPT-4 unfold is exhilarating, inspiring, and frankly, a little intimidating. As a developer or code enthusiast, you probably have lots of questions — both practical ones about how to build these large language models, and more existential ones, like what the code-writing chatbots mean for the future of programming careers.
Our brand new free course Intro to ChatGPT will get you closer to some answers. We’ll walk you through what generative artificial intelligence (AI) is, how it can be used (and when it shouldn’t), and ultimately help you understand why this technology is worth learning.
The reality is that the “age of AI” is poised to transform the way we live and work, and aspiring technologists like you need to be prepared to meet the moment. That means learning new AI skills, thinking critically about AI’s ethical implications, and getting hands-on experience interacting with AI tools. Intro to ChatGPT is an excellent way to get started, no matter how much coding experience you have.
Still skeptical about all the AI hype? Here are a few reasons why aspiring developers should know about ChatGPT.
The technology driving the trend
ChatGPT is a consumer-friendly AI chatbot created by the AI research company OpenAI. It’s a type of generative AI that uses algorithms to create new text-based content. You can give ChatGPT a prompt in plain English (like, “What are the most popular coding courses to take on Codecademy?”), and it’ll try to provide you with a fitting, original response. ChatGPT is wildly popular, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide are finding ways to put it to good (and not-so-good) use.
The GPT in ChatGPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer. “Pre-trained” refers to how generative AI models are built with training data, which can consist of various datasets of different websites, images, text, videos, and more, explains Sarai Fernandez, Codecademy Computer Science Domain Manager.
ChatGPT’s ability to accurately interpret our prompts and respond conversationally stems from GPT4 — one of the best large language models (LLMs) to date. LLMs are trained with huge datasets; as you feed a model with training data, it learns to recognize patterns and associations and uses probability to make predictions through unsupervised learning. “When we use ChatGPT, we’re not really getting new data — it’s already there,” Sarai says. “You type something in, and then it goes back to all the stuff it already learned and tries to give you a good response.”
Understanding AI’s limits
More often than not, the answers you get sound correct, relevant, and polished. But ChatGPT is far from perfect, and is prone to errors or nonsensical answers.
One major consideration is that ChatGPT can’t differentiate accuracy from truth, Sarai says. Broadly speaking, ChatGPT is making an educated guess about what you want to know based on its training, without providing context like a human might. “It can tell when things are likely related; but it’s not a person that can say something like, ‘These things are often correlated, but that doesn’t mean that it’s true.’” Put another way, ChatGPT is very good at generating language, but that’s not the same thing as having original, intelligent, factual thoughts.
In our course Intro to ChatGPT, you’ll learn about the risks and limitations of AI, including the real-life consequences of using biased or outdated training data.
Why programmers should learn about AI
Many programmers are using ChatGPT and other code-writing AI tools as part of their programming workflow so they can get more done. In fact, when GitHub surveyed developers who use its AI tool Copilot, they found that devs were more productive, completed repetitive tasks faster, and were able to focus on more satisfying work.
ChatGPT can be really helpful with simple or tedious tasks, Sarai says, and it can also come in handy when you’re stuck on a problem or forget something important. For instance, say you needed to know how to create a random number generator in Python. Instead of digging through Google and Stack Overflow, you could ask ChatGPT for a code example and have reference material in seconds.
But to make the most out of ChatGPT, you’ll need to know how to communicate with it properly. AI isn’t perfect, and there’s a logic to writing prompts (which you’ll learn in our Intro to ChatGPT) that’ll help ChatGPT provide you with the best response. In fact, there’s actually a career — prompt engineering — that’s centered around writing specific prompts to help test and develop an AI’s capabilities.
The code ChatGPT writes might require some editing, and the chatbot is far from coding entire apps on its own. “There would definitely be places where things would go wrong,” Sarai says. “Is its code secure? Does it know that this library is deprecated? How does it handle user authentication and authorization?” It’s up to human developers like you to know what code is supposed to look like, how a program is supposed to work, where bugs came from, and what it takes to fix them, she adds. Doing the dirty work and figuring things out yourself is all part of the learning process.
“My grandpa would say this: You need to be smarter than the tools you work with,” Sarai says. “So you need to be a better programmer than ChatGPT is.”
You need a strong understanding of the tools you work with to be a good programmer, so check out our free course Intro to ChatGPT to learn more about what it can do, then continue sharpening your AI skills with the courses below. (And sign up quick — they’re only free for a limited time!)
How to Create a Blogger Blog
At Designer Blogs, we offer a wide selection of affordable $15 Blogger templates. To install our templates, you first have to set up a blog. This tutorial shows you how easy it is to create a Blogger blog.
How to create a Blogger blog
The process is very simple and will take less than 5 minutes.
#1 Visit Blogger
Go to www.blogger.com and click on the big orange button in the middle which says: CREATE YOUR BLOG.
#2 Log in or create an account
If you already have a Google or Gmail account, sign in with your email and password. If you do not have a Google account, click Create account text at the bottom left corner. Follow the instructions to create an account.
#3 Choose the Blog Title
#3 Choose the Blog Title
Type in a Title for your blog. It can be as long as 100 characters, but keep it simple, making it easier for people to remember. Moreover, most of the Blogger templates use this title for text in your blog header, so if it is shorter, it may look better.
#4 Choose your blog address
By default, the address box will add blogspot.com to the end of the address you choose. If the blog address you type in is already in use, you will get a message that says, “Sorry, this blog address is not available.”
Important: You will be able to replace the address you create here with a custom domain! If you would like us to help you with that – contact us.
You may have to get creative with your blog address until you find one that isn’t in use. Once you receive the message, “This blog address is available,” click on Next in the bottom right corner!
#5 Pick your name
In the last step, you will be asked to choose a name to display to your visitors. You can pick whatever you want, and the limit is 200 characters. Again, keep it simple
Your Blog is ready!
Make it pretty
Your blog is set up and ready to go! Now you can start creating your posts. If you are not sure how to do this, check our short guide on creating blogger posts. When your first post is ready you may want to look for a blog design. Here are some of our easy to use affordable blogger templates:
Creating a Blogger blog is simple and may be right for you if you’re new to blogging and want a system that’s easy to use. Blogger blog users don’t have to mess with security, maintenance, or updates. Blogger blogs have plenty of features without being overwhelming. They also are easy to customize without having to learn how to code. Blogger offers a stable, well-supported, easy-to-use, free, monetizable blogging platform. Create your Blogger blog today!
AI in the workplace
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the talk and rage. While it has been for some time now, conversations around AI have become realities across businesses and industries. AI has unfathomable possibilities and is changing the way we work. From our everyday use of cell phones to ChatGPT, it’s become necessary for all individuals to understand it, be innovative in processes, and adapt to the changes it brought. Let’s discover our AI in the workplace is transforming the employee experience.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a computer science concept that revolves around creating computing hardware simulating human intelligence. In other words, it has been designed to think independently, think like humans, and to some extent imitate human actions and behaviors. The capacity of a machine to exhibit human-like abilities and perceive its environment based on the data it gathers is known as artificial intelligence (AI).
Meet ChatGPT
The biggest conversation piece anyone who’s anyone is having is around the (not so) new kid on the block, ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that was launched in November 2022 and built on previous models developed by AI research company OpenAI. Simply put, ChatGPT is an NLP (natural language processing) tool powered by AI technology that enables you to communicate with the robot in ways that are like those of a human being while also doing much more. Coding, essays, composing emails, this technology can do it all.
The impact of AI in the workplace
AI, like other technologies that have come before, is leading, and transforming the attrition of certain jobs and roles. This, however, should not scare any of us. Just like other technologies changed the way we work, they also opened new industries and jobs. In the same way, the expectancy is that with AI, creatives, and innovators will imagine ways to leverage this technology into every area of work and business life. The full extent of its impact is yet to be pinned down.
Physical labour-intensive jobs are less vulnerable to automation, and emerging markets might be less exposed to it than established ones. Additionally, reports about AI’s impact suggest that it could bolster global GDPs and fortify productivity.
There’s no denying that AI and the untapped possibilities that are yet to be explored will leave their mark. What we need to do is not just understand its role in the workplace but investigate how we can use AI to augment and enhance our work. How can you make the best of AI so that you aren’t left behind?
How to leverage AI in the workplace
- Have an AI strategy
The use of AI won’t just happen. You need to have a clear plan and strategy of how you will integrate it into the workplace and how it will work. Take time as an organisation to develop goals, outcomes, and desired results of introducing AI into the workplace. Doing this will help you pre-empt and address possible challenges and mitigate any risks that may come with them.
- Encourage upskilling and reskilling of staff
The value of digital literacy has never been more important than it is now. Millions of employees across various industries, and at every level, need to be trained or reskilled in global digital literacy. This training will enable employees to partner with new technologies and add value to companies and themselves.
We often hear it said, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”. That is, don’t mess with what works or change things unnecessarily. In some cases, this is true, but with something like AI that is going to change our lives and the way we do things, it’s better to get on the horse and ride. As an employer, it is your job to create a workforce culture that embraces innovation, change, trying new things, exploring new ways of doing things, and ultimately, how to make the best of AI to improve daily tasks and business processes. You can try to arrange workshops, and brainstorming sessions, hold training meetings, and more with a focus on AI and how it can be applied to your business and individual jobs roles.
After all, it’s often much easier to ring in changes and introduce new things when you involve the people the changes will directly affect and impact. Make your employees part of the change.
- Explore collaboration
An African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” There are many companies, organisations, and institutions with knowledge, access, cutting-edge technology, and a team of experts who can help you understand and take the next steps in your business. Find ways to partner with and collaborate with these groups and individuals and be part of the knowledge exchange and sharing opportunities AI brings.
- Be diverse and inclusive
To experience the full benefits and potential of AI, employees should strive to be inclusive and encourage diversity within the workforce. This means ensuring that all genders have equal access to AI training, tools, and opportunities and creating a culture that is open to hearing from different backgrounds, hearing experiences, and insights that others who have previously been overlooked, may bring.
- Reallocate funds
AI will undoubtedly change the way we do business. And companies need to prepare to reallocate funds to revenue-generating activities. This means organisations and governments need to invest in research, development, training, and buying software and programmes to ensure companies remain at the forefront of their industries and that the knowledge and skills get into the right hands – all hands.
And finally, prepare for the future today.
AI is here to stay. It is on all of us, whether as business owners or as an employee to understand its implications, not just in the workplace, but the societal impact it will have. The rate at which AI is developing means we cannot put our heads in the sand and hope it passes by and doesn’t affect us. In some ways, we will all be impacted and the best way to arm yourself is to educate yourself on what AI is, what it can do, and how you can use it in every sphere of your life.
TikTok Dances
Have you ever learned choreography from a TikTok influencer? Participated in a dance challenge?
Word of the Day: insufferable
This word has appeared in 37 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?
There’s A New Way To Get Your Coding Projects Discovered
Writing the last few lines of code for a project is a satisfying feeling, second only to the joy that comes from getting positive feedback from other users. And while you can share your coding projects on your social media feeds, post about them on our Discord server, and send an email blast to your team at work, it can be tough getting your work discovered outside of your circles.
That’s why we’re launching a brand new coding project showcase for Codecademy learners just like you. We know folks in our community are always making impressive projects — whether for practice, for a portfolio, or just for fun — and we want to celebrate your accomplishments by putting a spotlight on your unique creations.
Submit your projects, and we’ll feature the top standout projects right here on Codecademy. Got a project you’re proud of and want to submit it? Here’s what you need to know about this exciting opportunity and how to get started.
Learn something new for free
How it works
If you have a Codecademy Pro or Plus membership, you can submit your project (or multiple projects!) to be reviewed by the Codecademy curriculum team. You’ll have to give your project a name and brief description that sheds some light on how and why you created it. What inspired you to build this? What problem does it solve? Did you have to learn any new skills or workarounds to complete it?
Every month, we’ll feature a new batch of projects on the Codecademy website and share them with our community. If your project is chosen, you’ll get the spotlight for 30 days. (We’ll also archive all the past showcase projects on a different part of the site, so you’ll still be able to view them — and check out what your peers are making.)
Feel free to use any programming languages or frameworks you’re comfortable with. Just find somewhere to host your project (whether that’s your personal website, GitHub, or a Codecademy workspace), send us the URL, and explain which Codecademy courses or paths helped you along the way. Want to submit right now? Use this form to enter your projects.
What we’re looking for
Projects will be evaluated by the Codecademy team based on three categories: Creativity, interactivity, and usefulness. Does it solve a unique problem or have any unexpected features? Is it educational or entertaining? What value does it provide to its users, and how will they engage with it?
You don’t have to be an expert developer or have any professional experience to be considered — feel free to submit your pet projects or something custom that you created during one of your courses. We want to see anything you want to share, whether it’s a brand new API or a game like Wordle. Keep in mind: Whatever you submit must be your original work.
Why you should enter
We’re showing the world some of the best of what our community has to offer, because learning to code is no small task, and your milestones deserve recognition. Not only is this an opportunity to show off your work to our community and beyond, but this is another achievement you can include on your resume and in your professional portfolio.
If your end goal is to become a professional developer, you’ll need a technical resume and portfolio of work to show recruiters and hiring managers that you can get the job done. Highlighting that your work was hand-picked by the Codecademy team could help you stand out as a candidate.
Even if your project isn’t selected this time around, it’s a chance to connect with other developers, practice pitching your product, and get inspired by the work other learners are putting out there.
Ready to share your work with our community? Click here to learn how. If you don’t have anything to submit (or you’re looking for your next project), check out our library of coding projects for inspo.
Word of the Day: careen
This word has appeared in 11 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?
What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 17, 2023
Look closely at this image, stripped of its caption, and join the moderated conversation about what you and other students see.
Title Search: Can You Uncover These 10 Hidden World War II Novels?
