ChatGPT, GitaGPT and GuruGPT || Acharya Prashant, at IIT-Guwahati (2023)

Question: Sir, an Indian origin developer from Google recently released a version of ChatGPT called GeetaGPT, where the AI (Artificial Intelligence) basically acts like a God. And you could ask questions based on spirituality or philosophy, and it would answer as if it’s coming from Shri Kṛṣṇa himself. So, my question for you is, do you think that it’s an end for spiritual gurus in India?

Acharya Prashant (AP): When you ask a question to ChatGPT or GeetaGPT, can it choose not to answer? The guru, if real, can choose not to answer. And sometimes, silence is the best answer; nobody can teach AI or a program to do that. Do you get this?

Also please understand, ChatGPT will provide the same answer irrespective of who the questioner is. You type a question, doesn’t matter who you are, the answer will be the same. If the teacher or a friend—whosoever it is—is actually wise, he never answers the question; he answers the questioner, and that’s a great difference.

An arrogant spoilt lad gets up and asks me, “Sir, is not freedom important?” I will have an answer; a meek looking girl, underfed, coming from a small town gets up and asks the same question, “Sir, is not freedom important?” I will have a totally different answer to give to her; no computer can do that. Answers simply continue the question; answers are based on the assumption that the question is valid. Stay with me, it might get little dense hereon.

The thing is that the question is the reflection of the questioner, right? The question is simply an extension of who the questioner is. Correct? If I am a violent person and I ask you, “Where do I get knives?” You know that where the question is coming from? That question is coming from my violence, my violent self is what is giving rise to the question. So, the question is simply a continuation of the questioner.