![Closeup of an Apple ][ terminal program. The background is blue and the text white. The prompt says, "how are you today?" and the ChatGPT response says, "As an AI language model, I don't have feelings, but I am functioning optimally. Thank you for asking. How may I assist you?"](https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-06-12-at-5.09.17-PM.png?w=800)
Hackers are finding no shortage of new things to teach old retrocomputers, and [Evan Michael] has taught his Apple II how to communicate with ChatGPT.
Written in Python, iiAI lets an Apple II access everyone’s favorite large language model (LLM) through the terminal. The program lives on a more modern computer and is accessed over a serial connection. OpenAI API credentials are stored in a file invoked by iiAI when you launch it by typing python3 openai_apple.py. The program should work on any device that supports TTY serial, but so far testing has only happened on [Michael]’s Apple IIGS.
For a really clean setup, you might try running iiAI internally on an Apple II Pi. ChatGPT has also found its way onto Commodore 64 and MS-DOS, and look here if you’d like some more info on how these AI chat bots work anyway.
Awesome! Keeping it alive.
While not quite the same I recall a coworker (MS Physics) who was denied computer access for a private project. This was in the mid 70’s. he problem was in quantum electrodynamics and involved a thousand step iteration with each step having a thousand step iteration. Finally he programmed the problem into a Vic 20, checked that it was functioning correctly, hid it from his kids in the top of the closet, and let it run for 3 1/2 days! As a check he ran it again for another 3 1/2 days and got he same answer! Multum in Parvo!
The brains run on another computer. Apple II is used as a terminal.
Coming next:
Apple II with real supercomputer Power.
Apple II quantum computer.
… and ChatGPT “running” on a teleprinter, on a Hellschreiber, on Morse’s Telegraph and of course on a semaphore tower.
getting sick of this + “look at this thing running on a pi nobody can get anymore because small-time single-unit buyers are no longer a priority” articles.
My thoughts exactly.
But at least, the Apple II is used as it is, as a serial terminal. No Pi as a network card, that could in itself emulate the whole Apple II.
Yes clickbait non story.
Wouldn’t this technically already have been working via the various terminal based browsers?
“everyone’s favorite large language model”
Maybe if it stopped hallucinating every 5 seconds…
We have ChatGPT on D-Dial. https://magviz.ca
A chat system based on Bill Basham’s Diversi-Dial software for the Apple //e.
Fun people to chat with as well.
2 stop bits? I wonder if that was an accident and resulted in a lot of that garbage (serial, not GPT).