ChatGPT is a highly advanced machine learning model, but it is not a true general intelligence. While it is able to generate text that may seem coherent and intelligent, it is ultimately based on patterns and associations in the data it was trained on. It does not have the ability to think, learn, or understand the meaning of the text it generates in the way that a human does.

It is true that ChatGPT and its variants can generate text that appears to be more than just "word salad", but this is a result of its training on large amounts of text data and the use of advanced techniques such as deep learning and transformer architectures. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT's abilities are limited to the specific task of natural language processing and do not extend to other areas of intelligence such as problem-solving, decision-making, or creativity. It can generate creative solutions but it does not have the ability to come up with something novel, it is more likely that it is recombining the information it has seen before to come up with a creative looking answer.

Therefore, while ChatGPT may be able to generate text that seems intelligent, it is not a true general intelligence and should not be mistaken for one.