I was wondering whether the current generation of chatbots can be used for original research which would involve intelligently gathering data from across the web, then applying math in appropriate ways to determine a result.
As you can see in the example below, ChatGPT more than excelled in this process.
Of course there are some caveats:
a. We haven’t verified whether the original sources for this information are accurate.
b. We don’t know whether the AI may have hallucinated.
c. This particular example is rather simplistic. People reading this report might go on to assume that humans on a vegetarian diet will therefore outlive carnivorous or omnivorous humans. Perhaps the variance in lifespan is about chemical processes involving animal protein. However, this very simple research doesn’t take into considerations such as that carnivores have to move more and take more risks to get their food than herbivores.
So, without further ado, I asked an AI chatbot (ChatGPT):
“Can you make a chart with an assortment of animals, showing whether vegetarians or carnivores average longer lives?”
Sure! Here’s a clear, data-informed chart comparing average lifespans of selected herbivores (vegetarians) and carnivores, with examples from similar habitats and sizes where possible.
🐾 Average Lifespans: Herbivores vs Carnivores
| Category | Animal | Diet Type | Average Lifespan (years) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammal | Elephant | Herbivore | 60–70 | One of the longest-living land animals. |
| Mammal | Horse | Herbivore | 25–30 | Lifespan depends on breed and care. |
| Mammal | Cow | Herbivore | 18–22 | Domesticated; wild relatives live shorter. |
| Mammal | Rabbit | Herbivore | 8–12 | Prey species; shorter lifespan. |
| Mammal | Human | Omnivore (mostly herbivorous tendencies) | 72–83 | Diet has major influence. |
| Mammal | Lion | Carnivore | 10–14 | Shorter in wild due to conflict and disease. |
| Mammal | Tiger | Carnivore | 10–15 | Captivity increases to ~20. |
| Mammal | Dog (wolf) | Carnivore/Omnivore | 6–13 (wild: 6–8) | Domesticated breeds vary widely. |
| Mammal | Cat (wildcat) | Carnivore | 6–15 | Domesticated cats live longer (12–18). |
| Bird | Parrot (Macaw) | Herbivore (fruits, nuts) | 50–80 | Extremely long-lived bird. |
| Bird | Eagle | Carnivore | 20–30 | Top predator; lifespan limited by competition. |
| Reptile | Tortoise | Herbivore | 80–150+ | Among longest-lived animals on Earth. |
| Reptile | Crocodile | Carnivore | 60–80 | One of the longer-living carnivores. |
| Fish | Carp (Koi) | Herbivore/omnivore | 25–70+ | Some live over a century. |
| Fish | Shark (Great White) | Carnivore | 30–70 | Greenland shark can exceed 250 years (!). |
Trend Summary
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Herbivores (vegetarians) often live longer on average, especially large and slow-metabolism species (elephants, tortoises, parrots).
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Carnivores tend to have shorter lifespans, partly due to higher metabolic stress, riskier lifestyles, and territorial aggression.
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Exceptions: Some long-lived carnivores exist (e.g., Greenland shark, crocodile), usually cold-blooded or slow-metabolism species.
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Among mammals, herbivores generally edge out carnivores in lifespan when other factors (size, metabolism, environment) are similar.
Among mammals, herbivores generally edge out carnivores in lifespan when other factors (size, metabolism, environment) are similar.
