Barry Dahl dot com

In my most recent post, I looked at the possibility of embedding a chatbot as a tutor inside the LMS. I wanted to look a bit deeper into what it would take to do this, so I went to the source: ChatGPT. But first, here is my mock-up of what a tutoring chatbot might look like inside D2L.

Here is our chat.

Q: (Barry) How does the API from OpenAI work and how geeky does a person have to be to utilize it?

A: (ChatGPT) OpenAI offers several APIs for accessing their language models, such as GPT-3 and Codex. These APIs allow developers to integrate the power of OpenAI’s models into their applications, without having to train or maintain the models themselves.

To utilize OpenAI’s APIs, a person typically needs to have a basic understanding of programming and API usage. Specifically, they would need to be familiar with the programming language that they plan to use to interact with the API, as well as the relevant libraries and tools for making HTTP requests and parsing JSON responses.

However, OpenAI also provides documentation and code examples to help developers get started with their APIs. Additionally, there are third-party libraries and tools available that can simplify the process of working with OpenAI’s APIs, such as the OpenAI API client for Python.

Overall, while some technical knowledge is required to utilize OpenAI’s APIs, it is not necessarily required to be a “geek” or have an advanced level of technical expertise. With some programming knowledge and the right resources, many developers should be able to use OpenAI’s APIs effectively.

Q: Are there companies that specialize in helping the less geeky to build an application that utilizes the API?

A: Yes, there are companies and development agencies that specialize in helping non-technical individuals or businesses to build applications that utilize OpenAI’s APIs or other machine learning technologies.

These companies typically offer a range of services, such as consulting, software development, project management, and user experience design, to help clients design and develop applications that meet their specific needs. They may also provide training and support to help their clients learn how to use the APIs and maintain their applications over time.

Examples of such companies include software development agencies like Ideamotive, Tooploox, or Etherial, as well as AI consulting firms like Bonsai AI or DataRobot.

However, it’s worth noting that working with a development agency or consulting firm typically involves a significant financial investment, as these services can be expensive. Therefore, it may not be feasible for all individuals or businesses to pursue this option, especially if they have limited resources.

Q: How difficult would it be to implement the API in an iFrame within a web page where webpage viewers could query ChatGPT in the iFrame?

A: It’s technically possible to implement OpenAI’s API within an iFrame on a web page, allowing viewers to query ChatGPT within the iFrame. However, the difficulty of implementing this solution depends on several factors, including your level of technical expertise, the programming language and tools you plan to use, and the specific requirements of your project.

Here are some general steps you would need to follow to implement the OpenAI API within an iFrame:

Obtain an API key from OpenAI by signing up for their API program.

Create a web page that contains an iFrame element with a source URL that points to a server-side script or web page that uses the OpenAI API to generate responses to user queries.

Write server-side code that queries the OpenAI API using your API key and returns the response to the iFrame.

Handle any security considerations, such as cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, by using appropriate security headers and input validation.

If you have experience with web development and programming, implementing the OpenAI API within an iFrame should be manageable. However, if you are new to programming or web development, this task may be challenging, and you may need to seek assistance from a developer or consulting firm. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the OpenAI API has usage limits, so you’ll need to keep this in mind when designing your application to ensure that you don’t exceed these limits.

Q: Would visitors to the webpage need an OpenAI account in order to query ChatGPT through the iFrame, or could they do that anonymously?

A: Visitors to the webpage would not need an OpenAI account to query ChatGPT through the iFrame. OpenAI’s API is designed to be used by developers and applications, and visitors to a webpage can interact with the iFrame and send queries to ChatGPT without having their own OpenAI account.

However, you would need to ensure that your implementation of the OpenAI API within the iFrame complies with OpenAI’s terms of use, which require that you do not allow multiple users to share a single API key, and that you do not cache API responses for longer than the time required to display the response to the user. Additionally, you should ensure that the user’s queries are not stored or transmitted in a way that could compromise their privacy or security.

If you plan to make your application available to the public, you may also want to consider implementing some form of rate limiting or throttling to prevent abuse or overuse of the OpenAI API, as well as implementing appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access or attacks on your application.

If you’ve already built one, please let me know. TIA.

Filed under: AI & Chatbots |