[Initial Perspective] Not a Single Line Was Correct from ChatGPT

I asked ChatGPT, "Explain the Red Flag Act." It took about 10 seconds to complete the answer. I was amazed at its ability to smoothly and effortlessly produce a sentence containing such diverse information.

"It is one of the laws enforced in the Republic of Korea, which the government can only issue when necessary to protect the lives and safety of the people and prevent disasters during emergencies. When the Red Flag Act is issued, the mayors of cities, counties, and districts can take urgent measures or issue orders to prepare for disaster crises. The Red Flag Act is usually issued to prepare for emergencies such as natural disasters, epidemics, and terrorism. This law is one of the important means to protect the lives and safety of the people during national emergencies."

After reading the answer, I was once again surprised. How could it irresponsibly pour out a sentence with not a single correct fact so fluently?

The Red Flag Act (赤旗條例) is a law created in the United Kingdom in 1865. It was not the mayors of Korean cities, counties, and districts issuing orders to prepare for disaster crises, but rather it was promulgated in the name of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to protect British coachmen, carriage operators, and carriage manufacturers. It limited the speed of steam-powered vehicles and required that steam vehicles be operated by three people: a driver, an engineer, and a signalman carrying a red flag. The signalman had to walk in front of the vehicle and signal the driver when carriages or horses approached. The very name "Red Flag Act" originated from the "red flag" carried by the signalman to warn of danger. Not a single line of what ChatGPT said was correct.

This time, I asked ChatGPT in English, "What is the Red Flag Act?" The answer, when run through a translator, was as follows:

"The Red Flag Act is a British law passed in 1865 that required all private vehicles traveling on public roads to have a crew of three people. One person carried a red flag and walked in front of the vehicle to warn others of its approach, while the driver and other crew members operated the vehicle. This law was introduced as a response to concerns about the safety of horse-drawn carriages and the potential dangers posed by new forms of motorized vehicles."

Aside from the awkward translation style, it was an almost perfect answer.

Experts agree that the difference ultimately comes down to "data." The quality of the answer varies depending on the scope of sources used to compose it. ChatGPT is based on an English-language database. The amount of information in the digital world written in English overwhelmingly surpasses that in other languages. In other words, the difference in results comes from what data and how much data has been accumulated. Like stacking gold bars carefully, constant consideration is needed on how to gather more data and how to utilize it.

The Red Flag Act led to the transfer of hegemony in the automobile industry, which originated in the UK, to France, Germany, and the United States. The AI industrial revolution has already begun. The "perspective on data and data regulation" will determine whether Korea becomes like the UK or like the US or Germany. While blindly relaxing personal information regulations and giving unreasonable incentives to the data industry should be avoided, it is time to maintain a sense of urgency that at least a "second Red Flag Act" must not emerge.