Then it couldn't do your thinking for you, could it?

What it can do is compute on language. Real full-powered human language, with a great deal of what humans have ever written.

So while it's tuned to dully lack the creativity that humans do when given really unexpected comparisons (e.g. "In what way is a squirrel like a cheese sandwich?" ChatGPT: "A squirrel and a cheese sandwich are not alike in any meaningful way. They are two completely different things with distinct characteristics and properties."), you can certainly ask it to compute things that aren't anywhere in search results because they're novel.

For example, if you ask Google about using a squirrel's tail to clean car windows, it tells you how to clean car windows, and it tells you how to clean squirrels, and it tells you--if you go down the search results far enough--about squirrel tails.

But ChatGPT says--partly incorrectly but at least on topic: "While a squirrel's tail is bushy and has a soft texture, it would not make a good tool for cleaning car windows. Squirrel tails are not designed or adapted for cleaning tasks, and attempting to use one to clean windows could potentially damage the glass or leave scratches on the surface. Additionally, a squirrel's tail may carry dirt, debris, and even parasites, which could transfer to the car's windows and potentially cause damage or health hazards. It's better to use a proper cleaning tool, such as a microfiber cloth or a squeegee, to clean car windows effectively and safely."

This really isn't like just making your own triage of the material, because Google isn't even in the ballpark.

If you ask it why it's worried about damage: "The fur on a squirrel's tail could contain dirt, dust, or other debris that could scratch the glass surface as it's dragged across."

It is just a linguistic computation, without a proper model of reality to back it up, so it also adds, "Squirrels use their tails to communicate with each other and to balance themselves while climbing trees. As a result, their tails are subject to wear and tear that could result in loose or broken hairs that could scratch glass."

But, anyway, the synthesis of novel ideas by computing on language is quite unlike a search engine, even if there are some similarities.

However, I asked ChatGPT to explain this, and it didn't do a passable job, so you get my answer instead. Possibly with actual intelligence.