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Could an LLM Like chatGPT Perform a Functional Size Measurement using the COSMIC Method?

https://doi.org/10.15514/ISPRAS-2024-36(6)-6

Abstract

The process of developing software is intricate and time-consuming. Resource estimation is one of the most important responsibilities in software development. Since it is currently the only acceptable metric, the functional size of the program is used to generate estimating models in a widely accepted manner. On the other hand, functional size measurement takes time. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate certain software development jobs has gained popularity in recent years. Software functional sizing and estimation is one area where artificial intelligence may be used. In this study, we investigate how to apply the concepts and guidelines of the COSMIC method to measurements using ChatGPT 4o, a large language model (LLM). To determine whether ChatGPT can perform COSMIC measurements, we discovered that ChatGPT could not reliably produce accurate findings. The primary shortcomings found in ChatGPT include its incapacity to accurately extract data movements, data groups, and functional users from the text. Because of this, ChatGPT's measurements fall short of two essential requirements for measurement: accuracy and reproducibility.

About the Authors

Francisco VALDÉS-SOUTO
National Autonomous University of Mexico, Science Faculty, CDMX
Mexico

Had a PhD in Software Engineering with a specialty in Software Measurement and Estimation at the École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) in Canada, two master's degrees in Mexico and France. President of COSMIC. Associate Professor of the Faculty of Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Founder of the Mexican Association of Software Metrics (AMMS). More than 25 years of experience in critical software development. He currently has more than 50 publications including articles in Indexed Journals, Proceedings, books and book chapters. He is the main promoter of the topic of formal software metrics in Mexico, promoting COSMIC (ISO/IEC 19761) as a National Standard. Member of the National System of Researchers (SNI). Research interests: software measurement and estimation applied to software project management, scope management, productivity and economics in software projects.



Daniel TORRES-ROBLEDO
National Autonomous University of Mexico Research Institute in Applied Mathematics and Systems, CDMX
Mexico

Master student at Research Institute in Applied Mathematics and Systems, degree in Computer Science from Science Faculty of the UNAM.



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Review

For citations:


VALDÉS-SOUTO F., TORRES-ROBLEDO D. Could an LLM Like chatGPT Perform a Functional Size Measurement using the COSMIC Method? Proceedings of the Institute for System Programming of the RAS (Proceedings of ISP RAS). 2024;36(6):103-114. https://doi.org/10.15514/ISPRAS-2024-36(6)-6



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ISSN 2079-8156 (Print)
ISSN 2220-6426 (Online)