  Data visualization practitioners often lack formal training, resulting in a
knowledge gap in visualization design best practices. Large-language models
like ChatGPT, with their vast internet-scale training data, offer
transformative potential in addressing this gap. To explore this potential, we
adopted a mixed-method approach. Initially, we analyzed the VisGuide forum, a
repository of data visualization questions, by comparing ChatGPT-generated
responses to human replies. Subsequently, our user study delved into
practitioners' reactions and attitudes toward ChatGPT as a visualization
assistant. Participants, who brought their visualizations and questions,
received feedback from both human experts and ChatGPT in a randomized order.
They filled out experience surveys and shared deeper insights through
post-interviews. The results highlight the unique advantages and disadvantages
of ChatGPT, such as its ability to quickly provide a wide range of design
options based on a broad knowledge base, while also revealing its limitations
in terms of depth and critical thinking capabilities.
