"Examining ChatGPT's Inadequacies Regarding Germany's Chancellors: The Case of Helmut Schroeder"
In a recent request by The Local, a popular news outlet, ChatGPT, a popular AI chatbot, was asked to create an overview of all of Germany's chancellors with their images. However, the output generated by ChatGPT contained several errors.
The factually correct list of German Chancellors (Federal Republic of Germany, West Germany before 1990, then unified Germany) is as follows:
- Konrad Adenauer (1949-1963)
- Ludwig Erhard (1963-1966)
- Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1966-1969)
- Willy Brandt (1969-1974)
- Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982)
- Helmut Kohl (1982-1998)
- Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005)
- Angela Merkel (2005-2021)
- Olaf Scholz (2021-present)
In the image generated by ChatGPT, there were several omissions and inaccuracies. Notably absent was Germany's current chancellor, Friedrich Merz. The bot also incorrectly split Helmut Kohl's term and included him twice, and listed Olaf Scholz twice. Furthermore, it erroneously included Frank-Walter Steinmeier as a German chancellor, when he is the current German president.
When asked about the errors in the list of chancellors, ChatGPT noticed its mistakes and offered to make another image with the corrected information. The chatbot also admitted to making mistakes in the image of German Chancellors it generated, specifically omitting Walter Scheel (Acting Chancellor for 9 days) and Helmut Schmidt.
ChatGPT typically exhibits high accuracy in generating historical data, including chronological lists such as German Chancellors, with a reported accuracy rate around 90% for clear and understandable information. However, some user reports and studies suggest occasional inaccuracies or degraded performance depending on the model version or question complexity.
It is recommended to use generative AI like ChatGPT with moderate caution and to cross-check any output against authoritative sources, especially for detailed or edge-case historical queries, since AI models may inadvertently omit recent changes or introduce errors in sequence or dates.
Despite these limitations, ChatGPT remains a leading Large Language Model in the market, offering a convenient and accessible tool for generating information. However, as the use of AI continues to expand, it is essential to approach these tools with a critical eye and to verify their output against reliable sources.
Technology continues to evolve, as demonstrated by artificial-intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT. While it's predominantly accurate in generating historical data, it's crucial to remember that these AI models may occasionally exhibit inaccuracies or omit recent changes, such as the current German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, or Acting Chancellor Walter Scheel, when generating information about German Chancellors.
