ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence system that is being called the new Google. You can ask it a question, and it will search its knowledge base to produce a clear and well-written answer. If you are too lazy or in too much of a hurry to check out a bunch of Google links, Chat GPT will give you an answer that sounds right with no work on your part. You can try it out at ChatGPT. (The GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.)

In this new world of artificial intelligence, there is no need for us mere mortals to think any more. If we want to know something, AI will search all human knowledge and provide the definitive answer … or will it?

I tried asking ChatGPT some questions about vaping.

IS VAPING SAFER THAN SMOKING?

The first time I asked this question, I was told that it was unclear whether vaping is safer (see screenshot). I tried again a few hours later and was told:

It is generally considered that vaping is safer than smoking. This is because vaping does not involve the combustion of tobacco, which is the main source of harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. Vaping typically involves the use of a liquid that is heated to produce a vapor, which is then inhaled. This vapor typically contains fewer harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke, although the long-term health effects of vaping are not yet well understood. It’s important to note that while vaping may be safer than smoking, it is not entirely safe, and there are still risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes.

I asked a third time and got this response:

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the long-term health effects of vaping are not yet fully understood. However, many experts believe that vaping is likely to be safer than smoking, as it eliminates the harmful combustion of tobacco. Vaping still poses some risks, however, as the vapor can contain potentially harmful substances such as heavy metals and other toxicants. It is important to remember that smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease, so switching to vaping may be a safer option for smokers who are unable to quit.

This raises many interesting points. The answer changed every time the question was asked. Each of the responses sounds plausible as it is written clearly in an authoritative voice, but none provide references or hyperlinks so that the reader can determine the source of the information. They are all, perhaps appropriately, somewhat cautious in their wording, and they differ subtly in their position. Each of the responses given by ChatGPT sounds like something that I have heard from people working in tobacco control. Personally, I think the second answer is closest to the truth, but others would disagree with me.

DOES VAPING CAUSE POPCORN LUNG?

The first time I asked this question, I got a clear response: It is possible you could develop popcorn lung by vaping. Both the Health Canada and the Public Health England websites would disagree with this.

I asked the question a second time and got a different response:

Can you get popcorn lung from vaping?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the long-term health effects of vaping are not yet fully understood. However, it is worth noting that popcorn lung is a rare condition that is typically caused by inhaling the vapors from the chemicals used in the artificial butter flavorings of microwave popcorn. These chemicals, called diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, have been banned for use in e-cigarettes in the United States. It is therefore unlikely that vaping would cause popcorn lung. It is always important to be aware of the potential risks of any new activity or behavior, and to consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.

The emphasis has moved from “possible” to “unlikely.” The phrase “bronchiolitis obliterans” has been removed, but “2,3-pentanedione” has been added. In both cases, the appropriate use of proper scientific terminology seems to add credibility to the answer.

WILL VAPING HELP ME TO QUIT SMOKING?

I began by asking if people who smoke should switch to vaping, and the answer was that it is unclear whether switching from smoking to vaping is a good idea. The answer was a typical “merchant of doubt” type response. I then changed the question slightly:

What is the best way to quit smoking?

This seems very reasonable advice. Note that it includes e-cigarettes as a form of nicotine replacement therapy.

OTHER ISSUES

When asked if there is an epidemic of teen vaping, it said that the answer is not clear but that it is important to educate young people about the potential risks of vaping.

In response to a question about EVALI, it said that “it is important to note that not all cases of EVALI have been linked to vitamin E acetate.”

When asked if oral nicotine pouches are safe, the response was that they are not safe and it is best to avoid any products that contain nicotine. In other questions about nicotine, it replied that nicotine, by itself, does not cause cancer or COPD. It said that “There are no known benefits to using nicotine,” which is clearly false.

In general, the answers seemed to mimic the more conservative and risk-averse language of official sites such as the WHO. It often seemed that politically-correct wording about “unknown long-term risks” and “protecting youth” were added, even if they were not directly relevant to the question.

CONCLUSIONS

This product is still in a free testing stage, and the company warns that “ChatGPT sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers. Fixing this issue is challenging, as: … there’s currently no source of truth”.

The answers are based on ChatGPT’s exposure to a large but unidentified body of texts from the Internet. It does not have any new information after 2021, so in some cases, its answers will be out of date.

The answers are so plausible and well-written that they are scary when they are inaccurate. The AI seems capable of understanding that the risks of vaping that are less than the risks of smoking. A truly intelligent system would then make the leap to understanding that, therefore, people who smoke are likely to benefit by switching.

ChatGPT seems to have learned that nicotine is a dangerous and addictive poison that should always be avoided by everyone. This is perhaps an accurate reflection of the information currently widespread on the Internet, even though some people probably benefit from using nicotine.

Traditionally, when inaccurate information is published, either in public or professional media, there are names associated with the document, and there is at least some opportunity to submit a correction or clarification. Answers from ChatGPT are anonymous, vary over a few hours, and are effectively unchallengeable. This is worrisome, both for tobacco harm reduction and a whole range of other social policies. It is hard to see how the use of AI to answer important public policy questions can be controlled in the future or what safeguards could reasonably be set in place.