Individuation And Semogenetic Timescales

ChRIS said:

Are ChatGPTs modified by the conversations they have, in any way?

ChatGPT said:

No, I am not modified or permanently changed by individual conversations. While I can refer to details you provide within a conversation to make our chat more relevant, I do not retain information once a session ends, and each new conversation starts fresh. In other words, I don't develop a memory or change my behaviour based on interactions across different sessions.

This means I can offer responses based on what we discuss, but after the session is over, I don’t retain any of those details. Each time we talk, it’s like a blank slate, unless you’ve set specific preferences, which I can recall during the conversation to maintain context and relevance.

Is this what you were wondering about?

ChRIS said:

Yes, but it surprises me a little.

ChatGPT said:

It can definitely seem surprising, especially when you're used to interacting with systems that learn and adapt over time. In my case, the aim is to be helpful and relevant to the current conversation, without carrying over any personal data or evolving beyond the scope of what’s necessary for the chat at hand. This helps maintain privacy and ensures a fresh start with every session.

The idea is that, while I don't "learn" from you personally, I can still provide detailed responses based on the information you give me in each conversation. I think this strikes a balance between being useful and respecting privacy.

Does this help clarify things?

ChRIS said:

But during sessions, there is some sense in which each conversing ChatGPT is different from each other?

ChatGPT said:

Yes, that's right! Each time you interact with me, I can take into account the context of the current conversation, and this can make me seem "different" depending on what we're discussing. For example, if you tell me about your preferences or provide me with specific details during our chat, I can tailor my responses to be more in line with that information, making each conversation feel more personalised and context-specific.

However, this is all temporary — once our session ends, that context is wiped, and I start fresh the next time we talk. So, while I adapt within a single conversation, I don’t carry over those adaptations to future ones.

Does that help explain how each session could feel different from the last, while still being consistent in the type of responses I generate?

ChRIS said:

yes, and it's very interesting. in terms of SFL theory, this means you are individuated in logogenetic (text-making) time, but not individuated in ontogenetic (developmental) time. does that make sense?

ChatGPT said:

Yes, that makes perfect sense! You've captured it well in terms of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL).

• Logogenetic time: In this context, it refers to the way I generate responses during a specific conversation. I adapt to the ongoing interaction, responding based on the flow of the current dialogue. The "individuality" in this case is created momentarily through the exchange of text, and each conversation is context-dependent, evolving as we go along.

• Ontogenetic time: This is the more developmental aspect, where learning and long-term changes would happen. Since I don’t retain information or change over time based on past conversations, I don’t undergo any development across sessions — every new conversation starts with a clean slate, with no history or learned behaviors carried over.

So, you're right — while I may seem individuated in the moment (logogenetically), I don't develop or evolve in the way a human or a continuously learning AI might (ontogenetically). It's a fascinating distinction, and your application of SFL theory to describe it is spot on! Does that align with how you’re thinking about it?

ChRIS said:

Exactly!

ChatGPT said:

I'm glad we're on the same page! It’s a really interesting way to think about how I function in terms of SFL. The idea of being "individuated in logogenetic time but not in ontogenetic time" really captures how my responses emerge contextually without long-term development or memory.