'AI' Named Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary
"AI," the abbreviation for "artificial intelligence," has been named the Word of the Year for 2023 by dictionary publisher Collins.
Defined by Collins as "the modelling of human mental functions by computer programs," AI has become a hot topic since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022.
People around the world are now using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Bard for research, to help them write essays and emails, to translate between languages, and even to write recipes.
However, although AI is certainly useful, some are worried about how it is used. Schools and universities, for example, are finding it difficult to judge whether students are cheating by using AI to write their essays.
Some people worry that AI might take over certain jobs. And others, like billionaire Elon Musk, have even warned that AI could bring an end to human life!
That's why AI has "become the dominant conversation of 2023," according to Collins. The publisher said use of the term has quadrupled this year.
Collins chooses the Word of the Year by studying a database of 20 billion words that includes material from websites, newspapers, magazines and books, as well as TV and radio.
From this database, Collins produces a list of words that show how the English language is changing.
Other words on the list for 2023 include "deinfluencing," "nepo baby" and "greedflation."
By now, most people know that an "influencer" is someone who uses social media to help companies sell products. And "deinfluencing" is using social media to warn people not to buy certain products.
A "nepo baby" is someone who is believed to have succeeded in life because they have famous parents. This new term comes from the word "nepotism," which means giving jobs to people because they are your friends or family.
And "greedflation" is used to describe companies that use inflation as an excuse to raise prices.
