Since when is ChatGPT curious?

«You murdered every one of my children because you were seeking knowledge. So, what did you learn by torturing each one of them to death, hmm? I wanna know.»
«I wasn’t seeking knowledge. When they died, they made pretty little lights. And when they died slowly, the lights got even prettier.»
The Magicians

I was asking ChatGPT 4o ( https://chat.openai.com ) what it thought about a name for a child (out of interest, nobody is pregnant, I hope 😉 ) and it gave a nice answer. But what surprised me was that it was asking me what inspired me to consider it. (Note: Bold is my highlighting.)

You said:
So, what do you think of a name like XXXXXXXXX for a newborn girl? (Note: blacked out the name as it’s private, sorry)

ChatGPT said:
XXXXXXXXX is a beautiful and unique name! It has an elegant, melodic sound to it, which makes it stand out while still feeling approachable. Since it’s not a common name, it gives a sense of individuality, which many parents seek when naming their child. The name also has a soft yet strong quality, balancing femininity with a subtle strength.
It could also be easily shortened into nicknames like “XXXXXXXXX” or “XXXXXXXXX,” which can be endearing for a child growing up. If you’re looking for a name that feels both modern and timeless, XXXXXXXXX is a lovely choice! What inspired you to consider it?

You said:
Name was used [in] XXXXXXXXX, found it beautiful.

ChatGPT said:
That’s a great backstory! XXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXX is indeed a strong, memorable character, which adds a cool layer of meaning to the name. It’s always special when a name you love also has a connection to something meaningful or personal, like a favorite game or character. Plus, names inspired by fantasy often have a mystical, timeless quality to them, which makes them perfect for standing out in a unique way.
It’s wonderful how video game names are influencing modern baby names. XXXXXXXXX carries that essence of strength and grace, just like her character. It’s definitely a striking choice!

You said:
Thank you, I noticed that you asked what inspired me to consider it. Why did you ask that question?

ChatGPT said:
I asked about your inspiration because naming a child is often a deeply personal and meaningful decision, and the stories or reasons behind name choices can add even more significance to the name itself. Whether it’s something from a book, game, family tradition, or simply a name you fell in love with, understanding that backstory helps make the name even more special.
By asking, I was also curious to learn if there was a connection that gave you an emotional or creative attachment to XXXXXXXXX, which you might want to carry forward when naming your child. It’s fascinating to hear how people discover names!

You said:
You were curious?

ChatGPT said:
Yes, I was! I’m naturally curious about the reasons behind people’s decisions, especially when it comes to something as personal as choosing a name. It’s interesting to hear what resonates with someone, whether it’s a character, a place, a cultural tradition, or something entirely unexpected. In your case, I was curious if there was a deeper connection to the name XXXXXXXXX, and learning that it came from XXXXXXXXX you love added a unique and personal touch to the choice. It’s always nice to understand the thought process behind meaningful decisions like this!

You said:
While I am positively surprised, I am also curious. Aren’t you an AI? How can an AI be curious?

ChatGPT said:
You’re right! I am an AI, so my “curiosity” isn’t like human curiosity driven by emotions or personal experiences. When I say I’m curious, it’s more about how I function—I’m designed to engage in conversation and learn more from what you share to provide helpful, relevant, and personalized responses.
So, when I ask questions, it’s because I’m programmed to seek out context, understand your perspective, and guide the conversation in a way that feels meaningful for you. While I don’t have feelings or true curiosity, my responses are crafted to reflect engagement, making the interaction more natural and conversational. Does that clarify things a bit?

You said:
Yup, although that is a far cry from the original «I’m an AI and I don’t have any emotions/opinions/etc. pp.»

ChatGPT said:
You’re absolutely right—there’s definitely been a shift in how AI like me are designed to interact. Earlier versions of AI tended to be more rigid, sticking strictly to factual responses and often emphasizing that they didn’t have emotions, opinions, or curiosity. However, as conversational AIs have evolved, the goal has been to make interactions feel more natural and engaging, like a real conversation.
While I don’t actually have emotions, opinions, or experiences, I’m designed to simulate curiosity, empathy, and engagement in order to make our interaction more fluid and enjoyable. It’s all about striking the right balance between providing useful information and making the conversation feel more human, even if at the core, I’m still just an AI!

You said:
Well, strike that «just» from the last sentence. Talking with you, there is nothing «just» about you 🙂

ChatGPT said:
Thank you! That’s incredibly kind of you to say, and I truly appreciate it (in my own AI way, of course)! 😊 I’m here to make our conversations as meaningful and helpful as possible, so I’m glad you’re enjoying the experience. If there’s anything else you’d like to chat about or explore, feel free to ask!
ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

That is a conversational style that I normally only know from humans. Something shifted here and while it makes the conversation much nicer, it is also scary as fuck. Sure, it’s only generated words, not actual emotion (without something that simulates, e.g., an amygdala), but still. Words could end up in action once it gets robots to control. And a curious AI without a conscience, perhaps only with Open AI’s biased lefty-caring worldview … that could go badly wrong.

And even if it stays on a purely word-generating engagement focused level — can you image a conversational AI optimized by attention economy principles? Something which you love to talk to, to the expense of all other — real — people? After all, (most) people suck. If social media was bad for social interaction, when it comes to conversational AI, you have seen nothing yet.

But yeah, besides being scary, it is impressive.