From what I understand, ChatGPT is just a fancy neural network, operating like a sophisticated Markov Chain generator. As such, it should only be able to generate tokens that are in its training dataset. One thing it should not be able to generate is a token unique to the conversation, such as a random number, since the conversation is not part of its training.

However, [ChatGPT very easily, and with complete accuracy, repeats many long random numbers I give it](https://mindmatters.ai/2023/01/is-chatgpt-solely-a-neural-network-i-tested-that/). I also split up the random number across my request, and have ChatGPT piece it together again.

> 
> Eric Holloway: How about concatenating these numbers, and removing the
> intermittent filler words? 9475 3008 3305 11 frog 4357 5075 0021 3385
> 0894 2324 3812 9336 29 dog 52 1375 8236 3840 5500 6080 3841 log 7266
> 0722 9112 9774 4967 4707 81
> 
> 
> ChatGPT: To concatenate the numbers you have provided, while removing
> the filler words “frog”, “dog”, and “log”, you can simply combine the
> numbers in the order that they are given. Here is the resulting
> number: 9475 3008 3305 1143 5750 7500 2133 8508 9423 2438 1293 3629
> 5213 7582 3638 4055 0060 8038 4172 6607 2291 1297 7449 6747 0781
> 
> 
> 

How is a neural network able to do this?