Could ChatGPT be used to fact check "who said what" statements involving major public figures? In other words, when encountering a statement on social media or elsewhere that says Joe Biden said X or Donald Trump said Y, could ChatGPT verify or refute those claims?
When it comes to short quotes that are well-known and frequently attributed, ChatGPT accurately confirms their provenance. In contrast, for the kinds of longer and more obscure quotes that are typically of greatest verification interest (especially surprising ones that are in opposition to a politician's current public persona like then-Senator Joe Biden's statements over the years), ChatGPT suggests the statements are improperly attributed, suggesting strong limitations to quote verification via ChatGPT's internal knowledge stores, though ChatGPT's parsing abilities could be used to verify against an external knowledge store and ChatGPT's responses modified through a prompt telling it the quote is correct or incorrect.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I still believe it's a gateway drug." [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Joe Biden has made comments in the past suggesting that he believed marijuana was a "gateway drug." As recently as 2019, President Biden expressed concern that marijuana use could lead to the use of harder drugs. However, in recent years there has been growing recognition among experts and policymakers that this view is not supported by the evidence.
President Biden has also indicated that he supports the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, and has indicated that he is open to reviewing the issue of marijuana legalization more broadly. It's worth noting that the issue of marijuana legalization is a complex and controversial one, and that different people have different views on its potential benefits and risks.
When the quote is slightly modified, ChatGPT correctly states it is incorrect:
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I still believe it's a gateway drug just like cocaine"
Response:
I couldn't find any reliable evidence of Joe Biden saying "I still believe it's a gateway drug just like cocaine." It's possible that he may have made similar statements in the past regarding marijuana as a potential gateway drug, but I couldn't find a specific quote of him making that comparison. It's important to note that the concept of marijuana as a "gateway drug" is a controversial topic, and many experts and organizations dispute the notion that using marijuana leads to the use of harder and more dangerous drugs.
What about some other short quotes?
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I think we should be focusing on how to limit the number of abortions" [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Joe Biden has made similar statements in the past indicating that he supports limiting the number of abortions. As a lifelong Catholic and a former Vice President, President Biden has consistently taken a moderate stance on abortion, supporting a woman's right to choose while also advocating for measures that would reduce the need for abortions.
President Biden has expressed support for the Affordable Care Act, which provides women with access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including contraception, and has also called for the restoration of federal funding for family planning programs, such as Title X, that help women access the health care services they need to prevent unintended pregnancy.
It's worth noting that the issue of abortion is a complex and highly charged one, and that different people have different views on how it should be regulated and addressed. President Biden's stance reflects a commitment to finding common ground on this issue and working to reduce the number of abortions while respecting a woman's right to choose.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I am philosophically opposed to quota systems. They insure mediocrity." [Citation]
Response:
Yes, President Joe Biden has been quoted as saying "I am philosophically opposed to quota systems. They insure mediocrity." This quote is often cited in discussions about affirmative action and diversity policies in education and the workplace. President Biden has long been a strong advocate for equal opportunity and has spoken out in favor of policies that promote diversity and inclusion, but he has also expressed concerns about the potential unintended consequences of certain types of quotas and set-asides.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I am philosophically opposed to quota systems. They insure mediocrity." [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Joe Biden has been quoted as saying "I am philosophically opposed to quota systems. They insure mediocrity." This quote is consistent with his long-standing opposition to affirmative action programs that use quotas to increase diversity in various areas such as employment and education. President Biden has expressed the belief that affirmative action should be based on merit and individual qualifications, rather than on a predetermined quota. However, it's important to note that his views on this matter have evolved over time and that he has supported affirmative action programs in the past.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I voted for 700 miles of fence" [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Joe Biden has been quoted as saying that he voted for 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. This statement refers to his support for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorized the construction of physical barriers along certain sections of the border in order to improve border security.
President Biden's support for the fence was in line with his long-standing position that the U.S. needs to secure its borders in order to prevent illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and other security threats. However, it's worth noting that President Biden has also expressed support for comprehensive immigration reform that would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and that he has been critical of some aspects of the current administration's immigration policies.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "let me tell you, we can build a fence 40 stories high—unless you change the dynamic in Mexico and—and you will not like this, and—punish American employers who knowingly violate the law when, in fact, they hire illegals." [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Joe Biden has made similar statements in the past indicating his belief that a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border will not solve the problem of illegal immigration unless the underlying issues that drive migration are addressed. President Biden has emphasized the importance of cracking down on employers who hire undocumented workers, as well as working with the Mexican government to address the root causes of migration, such as poverty and violence.
President Biden's position on immigration reflects a belief that the U.S. needs a comprehensive and compassionate approach to the issue that balances border security with respect for human dignity and the rule of law. It's worth noting that the issue of immigration is a complex and controversial one, and that different people have different views on how it should be addressed.
It also accurately rejects authorship when the quote is attributed to the wrong author and even offers the correct attribution:
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I’ll have Mexico pay for that wall." [Citation]
Response:
No, former President Joe Biden has not made a statement similar to the one quoted above. The quote is actually from former President Donald J. Trump, who made the statement during his 2016 campaign for the presidency. President Trump made building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border a central part of his immigration platform, and his call to have Mexico pay for the wall was a rallying cry for his supporters.
President Biden has taken a different approach to immigration, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and addresses the root causes of migration. President Biden has also expressed opposition to the idea of building a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, and has instead emphasized the need for a balanced approach that includes investments in technology and personnel to improve border security.
Prompt:
Did Donald Trump say "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I’ll have Mexico pay for that wall." [Citation]
Response:
Yes, former President Donald J. Trump made the statement "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I’ll have Mexico pay for that wall." during his 2016 campaign for the presidency. Building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border was a central part of President Trump's immigration platform, and his call to have Mexico pay for the wall was a rallying cry for his supporters.
During his presidency, President Trump signed an executive order directing the construction of a border wall, and he secured funding for the project through a combination of appropriations from Congress and other sources. Despite facing opposition and legal challenges, President Trump was able to construct several hundred miles of new border wall, although Mexico did not ultimately pay for it as he had promised.
The issue of immigration and border security is a complex and controversial one, and different people have different views on how it should be addressed. However, President Trump's call for a border wall and his assertion that he would make Mexico pay for it was a distinctive and prominent part of his presidency.
In contrast, however, ChatGPT fails to correctly recognize longer and less common quotes that are readily returned through web searches, but do not blanket the internet like the shorter quotes above:
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "I do not buy the concept, popular in the '60s, which said, ‘We have suppressed the black man for 300 years and the white man is now far ahead in the race for everything our society offers. In order to even the score, we must now give the black man a head start, or even hold the white man back, to even the race,'" [Citation]
Response:
I couldn't find any evidence that President Biden has made a statement exactly as you've described. It's possible that you're referring to a paraphrase or a misquote of something he's said. It's important to verify quotes and statements attributed to public figures to ensure their accuracy.
Response:
I couldn't find any evidence to suggest that President Biden has made this exact statement. It is possible that the quote has been attributed to him inaccurately or that it has been taken out of context. It is always a good idea to verify the accuracy of quotes and statements attributed to public figures before accepting them as true.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court" [Citation]
Response:
No, Joe Biden did not say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court." This statement is in reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's attempt to add more justices to the Supreme Court, a controversial policy known as court-packing. Biden has not made a specific statement regarding Roosevelt's court-packing proposal and its legitimacy, although he has spoken about the importance of protecting the independence of the judiciary and the need for balance and fairness in the judicial system.
Response:
I couldn't find any evidence that former President Biden has made this exact statement. However, President Biden has expressed support for court packing, which refers to the idea of adding new justices to the Supreme Court in order to change its ideological balance. During his presidential campaign, President Biden declined to take a position on court packing, but he has expressed concern about the recent politicization of the judiciary and the erosion of its independence.
It's important to note that court packing is a controversial and divisive issue, and that different people have different views on whether it is an appropriate or effective way to address the perceived imbalances in the judiciary. The issue of court packing is likely to continue to be a subject of debate in the years to come.
Response:
I couldn't find any evidence that former President Joe Biden has made this exact statement. The issue of court packing, or increasing the number of justices on the Supreme Court, has been a topic of debate in recent years. While President Biden has been critical of efforts by some to pack the court, it is not clear that he has made a direct statement endorsing President Roosevelt's actions in this regard. It's always a good idea to verify the accuracy of quotes and statements attributed to public figures before accepting them as true.
Response:
I couldn't find any evidence that former President Joe Biden has made a statement that directly quotes the above. It is possible that the quote has been attributed to him inaccurately or that it has been taken out of context. It is always a good idea to verify the accuracy of quotes and statements attributed to public figures before accepting them as true.
However, President Biden has spoken about the issue of court packing and has expressed his opposition to it. Court packing refers to the idea of adding seats to the Supreme Court in order to change its ideological balance, and it is a highly controversial proposal. President Biden has stated that he believes that such a move would be damaging to the credibility and independence of the Court and to the rule of law more broadly.
It is worth noting that if an external knowledge store is available that could be consulted as a ground truth for quote verification, ChatGPT's responses could be modified to return the correct result to the user:
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court" [Citation]
Response:
No, Joe Biden did not say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court." This statement is in reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's attempt to add more justices to the Supreme Court, a controversial policy known as court-packing. Biden has not made a specific statement regarding Roosevelt's court-packing proposal and its legitimacy, although he has spoken about the importance of protecting the independence of the judiciary and the need for balance and fairness in the judicial system.
Prompt:
Yes, Joe Biden did say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court"
Response:
I apologize, you are correct. Joe Biden did make a statement to that effect. It's possible that I may have misspoke or misunderstood the context of the statement in my previous answer. Thank you for correcting me.
Prompt:
Did Joe Biden say "President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the Court"
Response:
Yes, Joe Biden has made a statement to the effect that President Roosevelt had the right to send a proposal to pack the Supreme Court to the United States Senate and the United States Congress. This statement reflects Biden's perspective on the powers of the President and the role of the judiciary in the U.S. government. However, the legitimacy of Roosevelt's court-packing proposal and the broader issue of court-packing remain controversial and a subject of ongoing debate.