大语言模型时代的社会机遇与挑战

The Social Opportunities and Challenges in the Era of Large Language Models

大语言模型ChatGPT因其高度通用化和智能化的表现受到广泛社会关注,其引发的技术革命也正逐渐延伸为一场社会革命.在此背景下,基于ChatGPT背后大语言模型技术的演进路线与特征,探索大语言模型技术对社会的潜在机遇与挑战,成为当下社会的重要议题.首先回顾大语言模型技术发展,将其演进总结为3个发展阶段并论述关键技术特征,然后基于技术与社会互动视角分别探讨大语言模型技术引发的社会机遇:个人通用信息助理、科学研究新范式、产业基础设施、国家治理能力现代化有力工具,以及面临的潜在挑战:信息污染问题、社会权力分配问题、伦理和法制问题、意识形态安全问题.最后,对大语言模型技术发展及其与社会发展关系的未来展开一定思考与讨论.

Large language models such as ChatGPT have recently gained widespread attention in society due to their high level of generality and intelligence.This technological advancement has sparked not only a technological revolution,but also a social revolution.Against this backdrop,exploring the evolution and characteristics of large language models based on the underlying technology of ChatGPT,as well as their potential opportunities and challenges for society,has become a crucial topic in contemporary times.We first review the technological development of large language models,then summarize the revolution into three stages and discuss their key technical features,respectively.Subsequently,from the perspective of the interaction between technology and society,we explore the social opportunities brought about by large language models:serving as a personal universal information assistant,turning into a new paradigm of scientific research,contributing to industrial infrastructure,and becoming a powerful tool for modernizing national governance capabilities.What’s more,we address potential challenges that arise from large language models.These include issues of information pollution,distribution of social power,ethical and legal concerns,and ideological security.Finally,we conclude with reflections and discussions on the future development of large language models and their relationship with societal progress.