ChatGPT Output Regarding Compulsory Vaccination and COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy: A Descriptive Study at the Outset of a Paradigm Shift in Online Search for Information

Abstract

Background: Being on the verge of a revolutionary approach to gathering information, ChatGPT (an artificial intelligence (AI)-based language model developed by OpenAI, and capable of producing human-like text) could be the prime motive of a paradigm shift on how humans will acquire information. Despite the concerns related to the use of such a promising tool in relation to the future of the quality of education, this technology will soon be incorporated into web search engines mandating the need to evaluate the output of such a tool. Previous studies showed that dependence on some sources of online information (e.g., social media platforms) was associated with higher rates of vaccination hesitancy. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to describe the output of ChatGPT regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine conspiracy beliefs. and compulsory vaccination. Methods: The current descriptive study was conducted on January 14, 2023 using the ChatGPT from OpenAI (OpenAI, L.L.C., San Francisco, CA, USA). The output was evaluated by two authors and the degree of agreement regarding the correctness, clarity, conciseness, and bias was evaluated using Cohen’s kappa. Results: The ChatGPT responses were dismissive of conspiratorial ideas about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) origins labeling it as non-credible and lacking scientific evidence. Additionally, ChatGPT responses were totally against COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy statements. Regarding compulsory vaccination, ChatGPT responses were neutral citing the following as advantages of this strategy: protecting public health, maintaining herd immunity, reducing the spread of disease, cost-effectiveness, and legal obligation, and on the other hand, it cited the following as disadvantages of compulsory vaccination: ethical and legal concerns, mistrust and resistance, logistical challenges, and limited resources and knowledge. Conclusions: The current study showed that ChatGPT could be a source of information to challenge COVID-19 vaccine conspiracies. For compulsory vaccination, ChatGPT resonated with the divided opinion in the scientific community toward such a strategy; nevertheless, it detailed the pros and cons of this approach. As it currently stands, the judicious use of ChatGPT could be utilized as a user-friendly source of COVID-19 vaccine information that could challenge conspiracy ideas with clear, concise, and non-biased content. However, ChatGPT content cannot be used as an alternative to the original reliable sources of vaccine information (e.g., the World Health Organization [WHO] and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]).

ChatGPT Utility in Healthcare Education, Research, and Practice: Systematic Review on the Promising Perspectives and Valid Concerns

“…The far-reaching consequences of ChatGPT among other LLMs can be described as a paradigm shift in academia and health care practice [ 16 ]. The discussion of its potential benefits, future perspectives, and importantly, its limitations, appear timely and relevant [ 80 ].…”

“…ChatGPT in health care settings also has the prospects of refining personalized medicine and the ability to improve health literacy by providing easily accessible and understandable health information to the general public [ 30 , 32 , 59 , 73 , 74 ]. This utility was demonstrated by ChatGPT responses, highlighting the need to consult health care providers among other reliable sources on specific situations [ 16 , 54 ].…”

“…In education, for example, ChatGPT release could mark the end of essays as assignments [ 13 ]. In health care practice and academic writing, factual inaccuracies, ethical issues, and the fear of misuse including the spread of misinformation should be considered [ 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

The Utility of ChatGPT as an Example of Large Language Models in Healthcare Education, Research and Practice: Systematic Review on the Future Perspectives and Potential Limitations

“…There is also the prospects of personalized medicine and improved health literacy by providing easily accessible and understandable health information for the general public [52,54,59,61,72]. This utility was demonstrated by ChatGPT responses highlighting the need to consult healthcare providers among other reliable sources on specific situations [16,56].…”

Chatting with ChatGPT: Investigating the Impact on Psychological Well-being and Self-esteem with a Focus on Harmful Stereotypes and Job Anxiety as Moderator.

“…and well-being, particularly among individuals with high-stress levels or anxiety(Budhwar et al, 2022;Inkster et al, 2018;Johnson et al, 2020;Sallam et al, 2023). One potential explanation for this relationship is the role of cognitive appraisals.…”