What if you want GPT-4 to answer questions about unfamiliar topics?

quangngoc

Because the training data for gpt-4 mostly ends in September 2021, the models cannot answer questions about more recent events. To help give the model knowledge of recent events, we have to deliver it to it as message inputs.

For example, if we want to know something about the 2022 Winter Olympics, we can copy and paste the top half of a relevant Wikipedia article into our message. Of course, this example partly relied on human intelligence. The idea is to provide relevant information such as the model can recognize it and answer properly.

quangngoc

If you want GPT-4 to answer questions about unfamiliar topics or events that occurred after its knowledge cutoff date (September 2021), you can try the following approaches:

Provide context: Include relevant information about the topic or event in your prompt. This can help GPT-4 understand the context and generate a more accurate response based on the provided information.
Use hypothetical framing: Frame your question as a hypothetical scenario, encouraging GPT-4 to use its general knowledge and reasoning abilities to provide a plausible answer. For example, "Hypothetically, if an event similar to X happened after September 2021, what could be the potential consequences?"
Break down the question: If your question is complex or multi-faceted, try breaking it down into smaller, more manageable sub-questions. This can help GPT-4 focus on specific aspects of the topic and provide more targeted responses.
Encourage speculation: Ask GPT-4 to speculate or make educated guesses based on its existing knowledge. Acknowledge that the model may not have direct information about the event but can still offer insights based on its understanding of similar events or general trends.
Combine with external resources: If you have access to reliable information about the topic or event from other sources, consider including snippets of this information in your prompt. This can help GPT-4 generate a more informed response by combining its own knowledge with the provided external context.

Remember that while these approaches can help GPT-4 provide responses to questions about unfamiliar topics, the model's outputs may be less accurate or reliable compared to topics within its training data. Always verify the information generated by the model with authoritative sources, especially for critical or sensitive topics.