Deep Learning

Season	s26
Episode	e04
Written By	Trey Parker & ChatGPT
Production Code	2604
Original Air Date	2023-03-08

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Official Description

Stan is reeling when a cheating scandal hits the school.

Full Description

When Bebe Stevens extols the romantic texts written to her by Clyde Donovan, classmate Wendy Testaburger complains to her boyfriend, Stan Marsh, that his replies to her messages consist of merely a thumbs up. Stan goes to Clyde, who tells him about ChatGPT, an AI-based app which he uses to write the texts, but cautions Stan not to tell anyone else about it. Stan comes to rely on the app to text and write stories for Wendy while he engages in other pastimes. Wendy is buoyed by Stan's more heartfelt texts, though Stan is unable to respond to her questions about the details of these writings.

Stan and Clyde also use the app to help them write their school essays, as do their classmates Eric Cartman and Butters Stotch. Cartman complains that if more students learn about it, they will lose their unfair advantage, and their teacher, Mr. Garrison, will learn they cheated. Garrison, meanwhile, laments to his partner, Rick, that he now has to work harder to grade and comment on his students' essays. Rick tells him about ChatGPT, but instead of realizing that his students used it to write essays, Garrison realizes he can use it to grade the papers. He thanks Rick for his supportive replies to Garrison's texts.

School counselor Mr. Mackey informs Stan's class that a student is using OpenAI technology for their work. Hunter a Technician from School Advisory Board, dressed as a falconer, and his falcon Shadowbane, are hired to analyze the students' work and identify the cheater. Stan and Garrison confess to each other that they have been using the app. They rationalize that using such apps is merely akin to having a good writers assistant, but when Garrison learns it can be used for texting, he is angered to realize that Rick has been using it to text him. Hunter announces that Shadowbane detected chatbot writing in Wendy's cell phone, though she denies using the app. Stan worries that he is not creative enough to think of a way out of this, so he instructs the app to write a story that is resolved when he convinces everyone that it is okay that he lied about using the app, and that tech companies who monetize OpenAI should not determine the ethical limits of AI. The remainder of the episode depicts this story and the resolution. Stan observes that sometimes a thumbs up from a human is better than a machine-generated lie, but when Clyde asks Stan how he pulled this off, Stan simply says, "ChatGPT, dude."

What I Learned Today

"You know... When you've done something wrong... sometimes the best thing to do is just come out and admit it." Stan
"Open AI is so powerful that it has to be something that EVERYONE can use, control and contribute to. Or else AI will be controlled by corporations who just want an unfair advantage like Cartman does." Stan
"Well now at least we know that sometimes a good ol' thumbs up from a human is better than a machine generated lie. " Stan

Memorable Quotes

"Oh it's just grading these stupid papers all the time! I have to read em' all and comment on each one of them. Jesus Christ" Mr. Garrison
"Rick! That lying piece of shit!" Mr. Garrison
"Drugs are bad, mkay!"Mr. Mackey
"No that is totally different! Whoever uses it for messages is a [bleep] monster!" Mr. Garrison
"Hey! Screw you, you dumb jew!" Cartman
"ChatGPT, dude." Clyde and Stan