I think you might be right. I can get GPT-4 to produce serviceable text on factual topics, if I prompt and guide it correctly. That's about it. Honestly, I'd very much prefer it if my actual dog could talk to me.

I'm not sure about "17 year old me struggling to write a short paper full of unoriginal ideas," but it sure could help me write that paper titled "Bullshit, bullshit, etc., etc., bullshit" that I always wanted an excuse to turn in for some college course or another. ;)