AI chatbots built software in under 7 minutes for less than $1

Can artificial intelligence chatbots operate a tech company without human intervention? Researchers from the US-based Brown University and several Chinese universities tested that in their latest study. They discovered Ai bots excelled at their business roles. More importantly, the machines developed software from scratch under seven minus for less than a dollar.

If you’re a software developer, don’t worry; artificial intelligence is far from taking over your profession. These machines only made simple programs leagues below your usual office projects. Even better, this research shows it could significantly boost your productivity. Soon, your co-workers may have AI software, too.

This article will discuss how AI chatbots ran a simulated tech company by performing various corporate roles. You’d be surprised to see these bots communicating with each other to finish tasks!

How did the AI software study function?

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Business Insider said the study involved multiple AI bots powered by GPT-3.5, the large language model behind ChatGPT. It tested whether they could complete the software development process without prior training.

The researchers created a hypothetical software dev firm named ChatDev. Then, they organized the company using the waterfall model, a sequential software creation method.

That approach divided ChatDev into four stages: designing, coding, testing, and documenting. Then, the scientists assigned roles to AI software by prompting each with “vital details” that determined the “designated task and roles, communication protocols, termination criteria, and constraints.”

The researchers assigned the AI bots to their respective stages. For example, the CTO and CEO worked in the “designing” stage, and the programmer was in the “coding” stage.

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They tasked ChatDev with creating a “basic Gomoku game,” an ancient board game also known as “Five in a Row.” Believe it or not, the AI workers chatted with one another like a team to complete parts of the software development process. Here’s an example from the arXiv paper:

• Chief executive officer: To satisfy the new user’s demand and make a desktop application resizable, you should propose a concrete programming language.
• Chief technology officer: Python with the Pygame library is a suitable choice for implementing a basic Gomoku game.
• CEO: Great! Python is a versatile and widely used programming language that will be suitable for implementing a basic Gomoku game. Its simplicity and readability make it a popular choice for beginners and experienced developers alike.
• CTO: Let’s get started with the development of the basic Gomoku game in Python using the Pygame library.
• CEO: Python.

Their communication spanned from deciding which programming language to use to identifying bugs until the software was complete. Then, ChatDev moved to the coding stage.

What were the study’s results?

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The CTO asked the programmer to write a file, and then the programmer asked the designer to give the game a “beautiful graphical user interface.” The AI bots kept chatting at each stage until they completed the Gomoku game.

The study found that the AI-powered company completed the entire software development process “in under seven minutes at a cost of less than one dollar.” That includes troubleshooting “potential vulnerabilities” through its “self-reflection” and “memory” capabilities.

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The research also reported an amazing 86.66% accuracy rate, and ChatDev’s software systems executed flawlessly. As a result, the study revealed generative AI’s potential impact on the software development industry.

If you’re a coder, you could assign AI software to produce the initial version of your project. Alternatively, it could produce the basic framework of your program so that you can finish the rest of the parts.

Nowadays, you have numerous options that can help you start AI workplace automation. For example, in this article, learn how to assign AutoGPT to specific tasks in this other article.

Conclusion

A study conducted by several universities discovered AI chatbots could operate a tech company and create a program in a few minutes for less than a dollar. Consequently, they revealed artificial intelligence’s workplace potential.

However, the researchers acknowledge that their study wasn’t perfect. They identified flaws like errors and biases in the large language model that may disrupt software creation.

You should start using AI software in the workplace, but you must understand its limitations. Learn more about the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.