You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. But What is AutoGPT… Any ideas?
Less than a decade ago, when AI started making headlines, we all had this Star-trek perception of AI being an automated engine that can handle a series of tasks concurrently.
Well, fast forward to the rise of generative AI – on the wings of AutoGPT-the Star Trek science fiction series is now a reality.
If you are wondering, What is AutoGPT and why it’s on everyone’s lips, this piece is for you.
What is AutoGPT?
AutoGPT is a self-prompting AI model that can create and execute complex tasks by itself without the need for human intervention.
The AI-powered tool breaks down a large task into smaller sub-tasks like a project manager, then independently automates and handles every task on its list till the overall goal is accomplished.
Unlike any other generative AI tool, AutoGPT can perform web searches, plan, and code, and even run an autonomous social media bot.
The best part is the open-source app can autonomously reflect and improve its behaviors. That’s to say, it learns on the job. So even when given an input it was not originally designed to solve, AutoGPT won’t come up short.
Here are a few words from Toran Bruce Richards, the creator of AutoGPT, that best describes what the AI-powered tool does.
“I was inspired to develop it (AutoGPT) because traditional AI models, while powerful, often struggle to adapt to tasks that require long-term planning, or are unable to autonomously refine their approaches based on real-time feedback.”
How AutoGPT Work: An Example in Motion
First off, what do you want AutoGPT to do for you; create an eCommerce store, increase engagement on LinkedIn, design a mobile app, run market research, etc.?
For this piece, let’s assume you want to increase engagement on Linkedin.
Opening the open-source application will prompt you to input the name of your AI; that’s the type of task you want to engage in.
To increase engagement, input “LinkedIn engagement-GPT.”
Next up, the app will prompt you to describe your AI’s role. It’s simply asking you to state the sole purpose of your AI.
For LinkedIn engagement-GPT: an AI designed to help me create thumb-stopping content that increases interaction and drives engagement by 50%.
With that, AutoGPT will prompt you a final time to input five goals for your AI.
To increase engagement on LinkedIn, the goals will read like this:
- Create content.
- Promote account.
- Attract shares and likes.
- Connect with thought leaders.
- Optimize content for conversion.
Note that you don’t need to arrange your goals in any particular order; however, the more specific you’re about your goals, the better.
At this stage, it’s time to allow AutoGPT to get to work. Here’s how it works.
AutoGPT works with AI agents that translate the data input into a series of tasks. Every goal set will be broken into a series of recursive tasks.
For example, basic goals like content creation will be split into steps. AutoGPT will – without any further input from you – identify your target audience and create a content strategy that resonates.
For all the goals highlighted, the self-prompting AI model will keep prompting itself, spawning instances, defining and carrying out tasks (forever) until the overall goal is achieved – which, in this case, is increasing LinkedIn engagement by 50%.
4 Use Cases of AutoGPT
Now that you understand what AutoGPT is and how it works, let’s explore some prominent use cases. How can AutoGPT make your day-to-day life easier?
1. Writing Codes
If you’re a programmer or someone who loves coding, fear not! AutoGPT is not here to take your job. But yes, it can help make the process seamless.
When tasked with a coding activity, the AI-powered tool uses its own prompt to create full-fledged projects, breaks them into sub-tasks, and then assigns roles to each task on the project till the overall goal is reached.
AutoGPT can connect to Python and write a script on the back end, create HTML files on the front end, and monitor and modify the prompts created. It’s like coding with a lifeguard.
2. Building Apps
Creating an app with AutoGPT isn’t a swift and painless experience.
Without a basic knowledge of the intricacies of creating and launching an app, you will have a hard time using the tool – especially when installing necessary components like Node.js’s runtime environment.
But even at that, AutoGPT can help you generate the entire code snippets based on simple specifications. Plus, it’s an autonomous tool that reflects and improves on its behavior, so you can be confident you won’t experience the same issues next time out.
3. Project Management
Many high-performing teams are already scared that AutoGPT is out to take their job. The tool’s ability to tackle complex problems is second to none.
However, that’s not the case. AutoGPT’s project management capability enhances performance, ensuring the toughest tasks are completed within the shortest time possible.
But its output is not always accurate. It still needs programmers to oversee the process and fact-check the results.
4. Market Research
Browsing and summarizing the internet is one of the areas where AutoGPT thrives.
From defining research scope to setting objectives and pulling accurate references to checking for plagiarism and formatting citations, AutoGPT brings its A-game to the table.
Limitations and Risks of AutoGPT
With everything I’ve said about AutoGPT, you might wonder, what’s the catch – what are the negatives? Well, here goes.
1. Generate Fake News and Misleading Information
AI can, on its own, generate false information. With that in mind, it’s risky to take AutoGPT’s output at face value. Fact-check every piece of info it generates for accuracy.
2. Steep Learning Curve
AutoGPT is still under development so it’s quite complex – reserved for the tech-savvy. If you’re not a developer or someone familiar with coding, you’re better off avoiding the tool till a less tech-savvy version comes out.
3. Create Harmful Programs
If anyone can, at the click of a button, create e-commerce and lifestyle apps, what’s to stop people from using the tool to set up scam shops, create harmful content, violate intellectual property, or, worst off, launch a full-scale cyberattack?
5 Ways AutoGPT Differs from Other AI Models
To wrap up, let’s look at 5 ways AutoGPT differs from every other AI model out there.
1. API Combination of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4
AutoGPT eliminates the limitations of GPT-3.5. The self-promoting app can connect to the internet and verify the accuracy of data before creating content or executing strategies.
2. Compatibility With Different Data Types
AutoGPT is compatible with different data types, including text, audio, and images. This compatibility allows it to generate highly accurate responses.
3. Hold and Execute a Long Chain of Commands
AutoGPT works with a feedback loop capable of creating constructive questions and asking itself what the next step will be till a definitive answer is reached, and the primary goal is achieved. It’s the only AI tool that can hold and execute long chains of command.
4. Improved Accuracy
AutoGPT has been trained on massive amounts of data, which has allowed it to understand the patterns and relationships in the data showing significant improvements in accuracy compared to traditional AI models.
5. Reduced Cost and Resource Requirements
AutoGPT requires fewer resources than traditional AI models. Its pre-trained architecture allows it to learn from existing data quickly, reducing the amount of data required for training.
