A satirical but serious reminder that Large Language Models like GPT don’t truly understand semantics — they just simulate it.
Apples, Pears, and AI – When GPT Doesn’t Know the Difference
Posts for: #Semantics
‘ELIZA on steroids: Why GPT is not intelligence’
May 4, 2025 – Alexander Renz Translations: DE
GPT and similar models simulate comprehension. They imitate conversations, emotions, reasoning. But in reality, they are statistical probability models, trained on massive text corpora – without awareness, world knowledge, or intent.
What Does GPT Actually Do?
GPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) is not a thinking system, but a language prediction model. It calculates which token (word fragment) is most likely to come next – based on the context of previous tokens.
Statistics ≠ Thinking
Transformer models don’t “think” – they optimize probability. Their output is impressive, but it’s entirely non-conceptual.
Why Transformers Don’t Think
Despite the hype, Transformer-based models (like GPT) lack fundamental characteristics of thinking systems:
- No real-world grounding
- No understanding of causality
- No intentions or goals
- No model of self or others
- No abstraction or symbol grounding
- No mental time travel (memory/planning)
They are statistical mirrors, not cognitive agents.
A Transformer is not a mind. It’s a sophisticated parrot with vast echo chambers.