The internet has found yet another use for ChatGPT, OpenAI’s revolutionary, AI-powered large language model: Asking it to explain complex concepts and historical events in the style and tone of drag queen and TV host RuPaul.
The hack went viral yesterday thanks to a tweet from X user @joyci_schecter who said that their friend “asks ChatGPT to speak as RuPaul to summarize confusing topics,” alongside screenshots of the chatbot explaining symbolic violence using words and phrases popular within AAVE and the queer community, like “serving,” “sis,” “the gag,” and “body-ody-ody.”
“Symbolic violence, my darlings, is a subtle form of power play that happens when the dominant group’s values are so deeply ingrained in society that they become the status quo,” ChatGPT said. “It’s like a glitter bomb of oppression, sugar!”
@joyci_schecter replied to their now-viral tweet showing that they used the ChatGPT-Rupaul hack to do their gender studies homework.
Others got in on the fun and used ChatGPT (as RuPaul) to explain historic events.
In its explanation of 9/11 for @newgamertag, ChatGPT said that “American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower like a queen making her grand entrance” and United Airlines Flight 175 strutted “onto the scene and [smashed] into the South Tower with a fierceness that would put any lip sync battle to shame!”
RuPaul eliminates drag queens competing on her competition reality show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, via lip sync battles.
“Can you believe the audacity?” it said, shown in a screenshot. “Talk about a dramatic climax, darling!”
On the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which resulted in World War 1, ChatGPT told @hottwinklawyer that “it was like a shady plot twist in a telenovela, with Franz Ferdinand and his boo thang, Sophie, getting snatched right off the stage of history.”
“Those assassins were serving up major ‘Death Becomes Her’ realness,” ChatGPT said. “Causing a major kerfuffle that set off a chain reaction of political chaos, darling!”
And, like with any burgeoning internet trend, President Joe Biden’s team got involved. The Building Back Together X account asked ChatGPT—a la RuPaul—to explain the Inflation Reduction Act, which was spearheaded by the president to combat inflation and carbon emissions.
However, this time ChatGPT sounded a bit partial toward the concept it was explaining.
“This fabulous piece of legislation is all about snatching those runaway prices and giving them a makeover, honey!” ChatGPT said. “The Inflation Reduction Act is the glam makeover the economy needs.”