Well, it’s comforting to know that the AI chatbot still has a ways to go in regard to IRL photography — because it just gave us *the most cookie cutter* SF recommendations on where to get the perfect picture of the city.
‘ChatGPT Takes on SF’ is the series that sees us interact with the controversial chatbot about all things San Francisco, shedding a light on how (hopefully) human-produced hyperlocal journalism can’t be replaced by a machine-learning algorithm.
Artificial Intelligence is growing at an alarming rate, some might say even a catastrophic, dystopian one. As we proved earlier this week: It’s getting damn good at suggesting worthy burrito recommendations in San Francisco.
At any rate, AI will inevitably become an increasing part of our daily lives as the technology matures, adapts, and evolves to suit its creators. (ChatGPT, for example, has already proven to be a phenomenal SEO tool and ghostwriting companion.)
However, it still lacks a particularly human-ness to it; ChatGPT scripts often come across cold and detached. And that was surely the case when we asked the AI where you can snap the best pictures in San Francisco.
The results? Grossly predicative. Moreover? It gave us the most basic skills of an otherwise endlessly dynamic city.
Here’s what ChatGPT said about where you can set the best pictures in San Francisco, below:
The Golden Gate Bridge: This is perhaps the most recognizable landmark in San Francisco, and there are many stunning photos of the bridge taken from different angles and perspectives.
Alcatraz Island: Alcatraz is another iconic site in San Francisco, and photos of the island and its abandoned prison are both eerie and beautiful.
Coit Tower: Coit Tower is a landmark art deco tower that offers panoramic views of the city. Photos taken from the top of the tower can be breathtaking.
Lombard Street: Lombard Street is known as the “most crooked street in the world,” and photos of the steep, winding road are both fascinating and colorful.
The Painted Ladies: The Painted Ladies are a row of Victorian houses in San Francisco that are famous for their colorful facades. Photos of these houses against the city skyline can be very striking.
Ultimately, the best picture of San Francisco will depend on personal preferences and what you find most visually appealing.
Like… really? We could’ve opened up any generic Quora search or flipped through any common brochure or asked any tourist the same question, and we would’ve, more or less, received the same answers.
There’s no mention of the Filbert Steps (or any of San Francisco’s hundreds of gorgeous public staircases). The AI *completely* missed the fact that both the Upper Great Highway and JFK Drive have car-free corridors. Twin Peaks? Billy Goat Hill? Dolores Park? Francisco Par? Apparently, ChatGPT hasn’t heard of them.
Looks like the chatbot still has some ways to go — which gives us humans some breathing room knowing we still have a leg up on it (for now).
Feature image: Courtesy of Pixabay
