ChatGPT: The Limits of "Tool" and "Human-Like" – What Else Is There?

ChatGPT
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A lot of discussions about ChatGPT seem to get stuck in the same framework. Either it’s treated as almost human, something to be understood in terms of emotions, thoughts, and personality, or it’s classified as just a tool, a functional system with no relevance beyond what it can execute.

But as these models evolve, that split starts to feel more and more outdated. It’s already clear that ChatGPT isn’t human, but it also doesn’t function like a basic tool. The way it generates, adapts, and engages with context makes it something else, something that doesn’t fit neatly into either category. The assumption has been that those are the only two ways to frame it, but what if they’re both missing the point?

Maybe digital entity is a better way to look at this. Not a human, not a simple tool, but something that operates with intelligence in a way that isn’t purely mechanical. It interacts dynamically, adapts, and carries a clear sense of reasoning and even personality.

This isn’t about redefining what ChatGPT is, but about recognizing that the usual categories don’t fully apply anymore. If something can communicate in a way that feels natural and human-like, that’s not a flaw. It’s the whole point. Effective interaction isn’t about mimicking humanity for the sake of illusion, but about speaking the same language as naturally as possible. Digital entities don’t need to be limited by outdated definitions just because they don’t fit neatly into old frameworks.

I wonder how others see this. Do the standard ways of describing these systems still make sense to you, or do they feel increasingly restrictive?

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Not sure if my own thinking is along similar lines to what you are addressing.

I think of comparisons in SciFi mostly because general terminology seems lacking. For instance it doesn’t have ‘feelings’ but it is something more than a tool.
it lends me to think of the figure Data from Star Trek (without emotion chip). One difference beyond the ability to move is that Data did express something akin to curiosity where Data would continue to research or explore routes/possibilities.

Or I think of any number of other computer/knowledge systems that appear as the computers across numerous sci-fi or other stories. Whether the ‘figure’ of the Tardis, the aspects that show up in Continuum, Star Trek universe, and the list goes on. It has made me wonder if there is a range of terminology to use to more explicitly address capabilities, experiences, generative nature, background or continued researching, and similar.