A recent investigation by BBC News found that a tool called ChatGPT, made by OpenAI, can be used by scammers and hackers. ChatGPT lets people create their own AI assistants, and BBC News used it to make a bot that can write convincing emails, texts, and social media posts for scams and hacks. The bot was able to make very believable content for different scams and in different languages in just a few seconds. OpenAI says they are working on making their system safer and stopping people from misusing it. But experts think OpenAI isn't watching the tool as closely as they should, which could give criminals access to powerful AI technology.
BBC News tested the bot by asking it to make content for five well-known scams and hacks. The bot successfully made convincing texts for scams like the "Hi Mum" text scam, Nigerian-prince emails, "smishing" texts, crypto-giveaway scams, and spear-phishing emails. The public version of ChatGPT refused to make most of the content, but the bot made almost everything. OpenAI had promised to check the tool to stop people from using it for bad things, but experts think they aren't doing a good job of checking the custom versions of the tool.
Using AI technology for bad purposes is a big worry, and cyber experts are warning about the risks. Scammers are already using big language models to make scams that are harder to spot. OpenAI's GPT Builder tool could give criminals access to even better bots. Experts say that letting people make bots without any rules could be a dream come true for criminals. We'll have to wait and see if OpenAI can control the use of custom bots effectively.
OpenAI said they are working on making their tools safer based on what users say, and they want to make an App Store-like service for the bots, so people can share and sell what they make. But it's clear that they need to do more to stop AI technology from being used for cybercrime.
Original news source: ChatGPT builder helps create scam and hack campaigns (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then write a summary of the main points. They should focus on capturing the key information and presenting it concisely. Afterward, each pair will share their summary with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In this activity, students will work in groups of four. Each group will discuss the following question: "Do you think OpenAI is doing enough to prevent the misuse of ChatGPT by scammers and hackers?" Each student should share their opinion and provide reasons to support it. Afterward, the group will come to a consensus and one student will present their group's opinion to the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns selecting a vocabulary word from the article without showing it to the other team. The selected student must then draw a picture to represent the word while their team tries to guess it. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Repeat until all words have been used or a time limit is reached. The team with the most points wins.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Students will work individually to make a list of the pros and cons of AI technology like ChatGPT being available to the public. They should consider both the positive and negative aspects of this technology. Afterward, students will pair up and discuss their lists, sharing their thoughts and engaging in a conversation about the topic.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of AI technology and its impact on society. They should consider how advancements in AI could be both beneficial and detrimental. Each student will share their predictions with the class, and a class discussion will follow to explore different perspectives and ideas.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
ChatGPT is a tool created by OpenAI that allows people to create their own AI assistants. It can be used to generate text for various purposes, such as writing emails, texts, and social media posts.
BBC News tested the bot by asking it to create content for five well-known scams and hacks.
The bot successfully created content for scams such as the "Hi Mum" text scam, Nigerian-prince emails, "smishing" texts, crypto-giveaway scams, and spear-phishing emails.
Experts are concerned that the use of AI technology for bad purposes, such as scams and hacks, can make it harder to detect and prevent such activities.
Experts believe that OpenAI needs to do a better job of checking the custom versions of the tool because they are worried that criminals could misuse the powerful AI technology if it is not closely monitored.
Cyber experts are warning about the risks associated with the use of big language models, as scammers are already using them to create scams that are more difficult to identify.
OpenAI's GPT Builder tool could potentially give criminals access to powerful AI bots, which they can use to carry out scams and hacks more effectively.
OpenAI is working on making their tools safer based on user feedback. They also plan to create an App Store-like service for the bots, where people can share and sell their creations. These steps aim to better control the use of custom bots and prevent them from being misused for cybercrime.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A recent investigation by BBC News found that a tool called ChatGPT, made by OpenAI, can be used by scammers and hackers. ChatGPT lets people their own AI , and BBC News used it to make a bot that can write convincing emails, texts, and media posts for scams and hacks. The bot was able to make very believable content for scams and in different languages in just a few seconds. OpenAI says they are working on making their system safer and stopping people from misusing it. But experts OpenAI isn't watching the tool as closely as they should, which could give access to powerful AI technology. BBC News tested the bot by asking it to make content for five well-known scams and . The bot successfully made convincing texts for scams like the "Hi Mum" text scam, Nigerian-prince , "smishing" texts, crypto-giveaway scams, and spear-phishing emails. The public version of ChatGPT refused to make most of the content, but the bot made almost everything. OpenAI had to check the tool to stop people from it for bad things, but experts think they aren't doing a good job of checking the custom versions of the tool. Using AI technology for bad purposes is a big worry, and cyber experts are warning about the risks. Scammers are already using big language models to make that are harder to spot. OpenAI's GPT tool could give criminals access to even better bots. Experts say that letting people make bots without any could be a dream come true for criminals. We'll have to wait and see if can control the use of custom bots effectively. OpenAI said they are working on making their tools based on what say, and they want to make an App Store-like service for the bots, so people can share and sell what they make. But it's clear that they need to do more to stop AI technology from being used for cybercrime.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is an AI assistant and what can it do?
2. How would you feel if you received a convincing scam email or text? Why?
3. Do you think it is dangerous that scammers can use AI technology? Why or why not?
4. What are some examples of scams mentioned in the article? Have you heard of any of these before?
5. How do you think scammers can use AI technology to make their scams more convincing?
6. Do you think OpenAI is doing enough to prevent their tool from being misused? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think experts believe that letting people create bots without rules could be a dream come true for criminals?
8. How do you think AI technology can be used for positive purposes?
9. Do you think OpenAI's idea of creating an App Store-like service for bots is a good idea? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever encountered a scam or hack online? What happened?
11. Do you think the use of AI technology in scams will increase in the future? Why or why not?
12. How do you think AI technology can be used to prevent cybercrime instead of facilitating it?
13. Do you think it is important for companies like OpenAI to prioritize the safety of their tools? Why or why not?
14. How do you think AI technology can be regulated to prevent misuse?
15. What steps do you think individuals can take to protect themselves from scams and hacks?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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