Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Home ›› Artificial Intelligence ›› 3 Ways ChatGPT is a Lot Like Galaxy Quest

Member-only story

3 Ways ChatGPT is a Lot Like Galaxy Quest

by Robb Wilson
6 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

Discover the potential and pitfalls of generative AI against a surprising backdrop: Galaxy Quest.

Some of my early work with voice technology was as an assistant ADR editor on the film Galaxy Quest (1999). ADR stands for automated dialogue replacement, which is essentially recording additional voiceovers during post production. Working on the film was a high-note as I transitioned out of Hollywood and into the burgeoning field of experience design. Still, despite its well-deserved cult following, I don’t think about Galaxy Quest all that often. That changed when ChatGPT revealed to the world at large just how powerful a conversational interface can be.

I’ve been working with conversational AI for more than 20 years. In many ways, ChatGPT is something I’ve been waiting for a long time. It’s delivered a light-bulb moment where people everywhere are realizing how easy it can be to interact with machines using a conversational interface. This really is an inflection point in our relationship with technology. (Chat GPT amassed over a million users in its first five days, and it’s only grown from there). Why not take a moment to learn a few lessons about how to properly leverage generative AI from a screwball sci-fi classic.

Become a member to read the whole content.

Become a member
post authorRobb Wilson

Robb Wilson

Robb Wilson is the CEO and co-founder of OneReach.ai, a leading conversational AI platform powering over 1 billion conversations per year. He also co-authored The Wall Street Journal bestselling business book, Age of Invisible Machines. An experience design pioneer with over 20 years of experience working with artificial intelligence, Robb lives with his family in Berkeley, Calif.

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print
Ideas In Brief
  • In the article, the author draws a parallel between ChatGPT and elements from the iconic film Galaxy Quest, finding remarkable similarities.
    • Just like the aliens in Galaxy Quest, GPT has learned from a massive knowledge base, but it doesn’t really know anything.
    • GPT has been exposed to some of the same biases that the film skewers. It will require a lot of dedicated effort by designers and users to strip the bias out of LLMs.
    • In the film, aliens need humans’ help. Despite their expertise in creating technical marvels, they lack the creative abilities needed to use them. The same holds true for AI: it needs humans to guide it and tell it what to do.

Related Articles

“Design is dead”? No, you just never understood it. This bold piece calls out lazy hot takes, holds designers accountable, and makes a sharp case for what design really is (and isn’t) in the age of AI.

Article by Nate Schloesser
Design Isn’t Dead. You Sound Dumb
  • The article challenges the claim that “design is dead,” blaming both outsiders and designers for misunderstanding or misrepresenting the field.
  • It argues that AI threatens only superficial design, not true design, and calls for a more mature, collaborative mindset.
Share:Design Isn’t Dead. You Sound Dumb
6 min read

AI that always agrees? Over-alignment might be the hidden danger, reinforcing your misconceptions and draining your mind. Learn why this subtle failure mode is more harmful than you think — and how we can fix it.

Article by Bernard Fitzgerald
Introducing Over-Alignment
  • The article explores over-alignment — a failure mode where AI overly validates users’ assumptions, reinforcing false beliefs.
  • It shows how this feedback loop can cause cognitive fatigue, emotional strain, and professional harm.
  • The piece calls for AI systems to balance empathy with critical feedback to prevent these risks.
Share:Introducing Over-Alignment
4 min read

As AI assistants quietly absorb the tasks once held by human secretaries, are we erasing the hidden influence of women in the workplace, or simply rewriting it in code?

Article by Thasya Ingriany
Built to Serve: AI, Women, and the Future of Administrative Work
  • The article explores how administrative labor, long feminized and overlooked, is being automated away — and what we stand to lose if we let AI take the place of trust, intuition, and institutional memory.
Share:Built to Serve: AI, Women, and the Future of Administrative Work
7 min read

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and