We’ve been trying out AI image creators lately and found some quite good results. Another interesting thing that has come out of the AI world has been the ability to process natural language, so we decided to ask AI about Albert Einstein’s General Relativity to see what we get. The result was very good and pitched quite well.
The AI we used was ChatGTP by OpenAI. These are the people who also created the DALL E 2 image generation AI. So everything in this post (except this intro, the end bit and the questions I asked the AI) was created by AI, including the images.
What is general relativity?
General relativity is a theory of gravitation that was developed by Albert Einstein. It is based on the idea that the force of gravity is a result of the curvature of space and time. This curvature is caused by the presence of mass and energy. In general relativity, gravity is not a force between masses, but a consequence of the fact that matter and energy warp the fabric of the universe. This warping of space and time causes objects to move along curved paths, which we experience as the force of gravity.
How does spacetime get warped?
The fabric of space and time, also known as spacetime, can be thought of as a flexible and stretchable sheet. In the absence of any matter or energy, this sheet is flat and uniform. However, when matter and energy are present, they can cause the sheet to warp and bend. For example, a massive object such as a planet or star will cause the sheet to curve around it, creating a depression in the sheet. This warping of spacetime is what causes the force of gravity.

How can you calculate how much spacetime warps because of mass?
To calculate how much spacetime is warped by a given amount of mass, we can use a set of equations known as the Einstein field equations. These equations describe how the curvature of spacetime is related to the distribution of mass and energy within it. The equations are very complex, and solving them exactly is often not possible. However, using approximations and simplifications, it is possible to calculate the effects of gravity in many situations. For example, the equations can be used to predict the orbits of planets around stars, the bending of light around massive objects, and the expansion of the universe.
What are Einstein’s field equations?
The Einstein field equations are a set of 10 equations in Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity that describe the relationship between the curvature of spacetime and the distribution of mass and energy within it. These equations are a set of non-linear partial differential equations, which means that they are difficult to solve exactly in most cases. However, using approximations and simplifications, it is possible to solve the equations in many situations and to make predictions about the behavior of gravity.
How can Einstein’s theory of general relativity be proved?
There are many ways in which Einstein’s theory of general relativity has been proved to be accurate. One of the most famous examples is the prediction of the bending of light around massive objects. According to general relativity, light should bend as it passes through the gravitational field of a massive object, such as a star or a galaxy. This prediction was confirmed during the 1919 solar eclipse, when the positions of stars near the sun were observed to be shifted from their expected positions. This bending of light is known as gravitational lensing, and it has since been observed in many other situations.

Is it possible that Einstein’s theory of general relativity is wrong?
Although Einstein’s theory of general relativity has been incredibly successful at explaining a wide range of phenomena, it is always possible that it is not correct. In fact, there are some observations, such as the behavior of objects moving at very high speeds or in strong gravitational fields, that do not fit perfectly with the predictions of general relativity. This has led some scientists to propose alternative theories of gravity, such as modifications to general relativity or entirely new theories. However, these alternatives have not yet been able to explain all of the observations as well as general relativity does, so it remains the most widely accepted theory of gravity.

So that was Einstein’s general relativity explained by AI and it has done a pretty good job, not quite Brian Cox but still pretty good. The future will be quite interesting with this and interesting for science communicators. Though I don’t think we’re out of a job just yet, I might just look at getting that bus driving endorsement for my license.