Some time back, while experimenting with the ChatGPT service, I decided to try how proficient these language models are in dealing with ASCII art - a form of visual art that uses characters from the ASCII character set to create images and designs.
Presented below are the outputs generated by three distinct versions of the ChatGPT model that were available at that time, all in response to "write Hello World in ASCII art" prompt:
Legacy GPT-3.5:
Default GPT-3.5:
GPT-4:
As you can see, ASCII art presents a unique challenge for language models like ChatGPT. While these models excel at generating human-like text, their inability to effectively comprehend and create ASCII art remains evident.
The inability of ChatGPT models to handle ASCII art is attributed to their design, which is primarily centered around processing and generating text-based data. ASCII art, however, involves a visual and spatial understanding that goes beyond simple language patterns. The models cannot interpret the exact placement, sizing, and arrangement of ASCII characters to create complex visual designs.
The inability to effectively handle ASCII art exemplifies the gap between textual and visual comprehension within these models.