Can AI Chatbots Run a Tech Business Without Human Intervention? Researchers from US-based Brown University and several Chinese universities tested this in their latest study. They found that Ai robots excelled in their professional roles. More importantly, the machines developed software from scratch in less than seven years for less than a dollar.
If you’re a software developer, don’t worry; artificial intelligence is far from taking over your profession. These machines only did simple programs, well below your typical office projects. Better yet, this research shows it could significantly increase your productivity. Soon, your colleagues may also have AI software.
This article explains how AI chatbots ran a simulated technology company by fulfilling various roles within the company. You would be surprised to see these robots communicate with each other to complete tasks!
How did the study on AI software go?
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Business Insider said the study involved multiple AI bots powered by GPT-3.5, the large language model behind ChatGPT. It was tested if they could complete the software development process without prior training.
The researchers created a hypothetical software development company named ChatDev. Next, they organized the company according to the waterfall model, a method of sequentially building software.
This approach divided ChatDev into four stages: design, coding, testing and documentation. Next, the scientists assigned roles to the AI software by asking each “essential details” that determined “the designated task and roles, communication protocols, termination criteria, and constraints.”
The researchers assigned the AI robots to their respective stages. For example, the CTO and CEO worked in the “design” stage, and the programmer was in the “coding” stage.
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They commissioned ChatDev to create a “Basic Gomoku Game,” an ancient board game also known as “Five in a Row.” Believe it or not, AI workers discussed among themselves as a team to complete parts of the software development process. Here is an example of arXiv paper:
- General manager: To satisfy the new user’s demand and make a desktop application resizable, you need to come up with a concrete programming language.
- Director of Technology: Python with the Pygame library is a suitable choice for implementing a basic Gomoku game.
- CEO: Great! Python is a versatile and widely used programming language that will be suitable for implementing a basic Gomoku game. Its simplicity and readability make it a popular choice among new and experienced developers.
- CTO: Let’s start with developing the base game Gomoku in Python using the Pygame library.
- CEO: Python.
Their communication ranged from deciding which programming language to use to identifying bugs until the software was finished. Next, ChatDev moved to the coding stage.
What were the results of the study?

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The CTO asked the programmer to write a file, then the programmer asked the designer to give the game a “nice graphical user interface.” The AI robots continued to chat at each stage until they completed the Gomoku game.
The study found that the AI-powered company completed the entire software development process “in less than seven minutes at a cost of less than a dollar.” This includes troubleshooting “potential vulnerabilities” through one’s “self-reflection” and “memory” abilities.
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The research also reported an incredible 86.66% accuracy rate and ChatDev’s software systems perform flawlessly. As a result, the study revealed the potential impact of generative AI on the software development industry.
If you are a coder, you can have AI software produce the initial version of your project. Alternatively, it could produce the basic framework of your program so that you can complete the rest of the parts.
Nowadays, you have many options that can help you get started with AI workplace automation. For example, in this article, learn how to assign AutoGPT to specific tasks in this other article.
Conclusion
A study by several universities found that AI chatbots could run a tech company and create a program in minutes for less than a dollar. They thus revealed the potential of artificial intelligence in the workplace.
However, the researchers acknowledge that their study was not perfect. They identified flaws such as errors and biases in the large language model that could disrupt software creation.
You should start using AI software in your workplace, but you need to understand its limitations. Learn more about the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.
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