ChatGPT and generative Artificial Intelligence tools are making a big splash lately. ChatGPT is so smart and quick that it has some people worried that they will be replaced by a machine. This brief introduction offers an overview, strengths, weaknesses, and links to learn more.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is and will continue to affect our lives, both at work and at home. AI is integrated into our daily lives in ways we rarely stop to think about: Smarter chat bots are engaging with us on helplines and in our phones. GPS navigation systems reroute us based on actual traffic conditions. Assistive driving technologies are getting us incrementally closer to a driverless future. Robots work side-by-side with humans in manufacturing operations, distribution centers, and a host of other work sites. AI isn’t in the future, it’s happening now.
Recently, a new AI tool has been creating quite a stir. In November, a tool called ChatGPT was released and less than two months later, it had earned more than 100 million users, the fastest growing user base in history. By comparison, “It took TikTok about nine months after its global launch to reach 100 million users and Instagram 2-1/2 years, according to data from Sensor Tower.”
We thought we’d do a brief overview of ChatGPT and some of the ways that it and similar tools might affect workers and the workplace. It’s a big topic that deserves more than a cursory look, but we’ll offer some initial thoughts and resources to learn more, and try to stay up on the topic in future blogs. In this post, we’ll even give ChatGPT a chance to speak for itself.
What’s the scoop with Chat GPT and generative Artificial Intelligence tools?
ChatGPT stands for “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer” – a mouthful. Essentially, it’s a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) chat tool that was released by open by OpenAI in November. OpenAI is a private company backed by Microsoft that describes itself as “an AI research and deployment company” and says that its mission is “to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.”
Generative AI tools are ones that can generate or create various forms of output based on the data that they have been trained on. The output that is created could be code, images, videos, text, or more. This is a good article that talks about generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, and where they are going: What is generative AI?
One of the things that ChatGPT generates is content, and that’s part of the buzz. You can assign a topic and it will quickly generate a letter, an article, a proposal, an outline. The end product is unique. You can ask questions and it will elaborate and remember what it has already said. It’s really pretty amazing. Writers, content producers, customer service reps, and marketers may be wondering how soon it will be before a machine is doing their job. But writers, take note – it’s not ready for prime time yet. It can be a useful tool to enhance your job, but it’s not ready to replace you – or at least, not yet.
Here are just a few of the limitations.
- It can be wrong. You might get an authoritative document, but double check that it is right. A Bing AI chat bot recently argued with the user about the year, which it got wrong. See: What Chatbot Bloopers Reveal About the Future of AI.
- It’s based on the data that it is trained on. In the case of ChatGPT, the input stopped in 2021, so it’s not current.
- It can have bias. Again, whatever it generates is based on whatever data it was trained on.
- There are a host of issues around ethical and liability issues that remain unresolved. See: As ChatGPT’s Popularity Explodes, U.S. Lawmakers Take an Interest
Try ChatGPT yourself!
We enjoyed and recommend the Washington Post article Can ChatGPT help me at the office? We put the AI chatbot to the test. (We made this a gift link which is good for 14 days, or you may have to register to read the article) It includes a video where one reporter tries to guess which emails were generated by AI, and which by a person. It also discusses some of the strengths and weaknesses.
One of the best ways to learn more about what’s going on is to try it out and get familiar with it. During the research preview, it’s free to use. And it’s fun. Try it now: ChatGPT. We did.
We asked ChatGPT how it can best help writers and here is the response.
As an AI language model, I can be a helpful tool for copywriters looking to improve their work. Here are a few ways you can use me to enhance your writing:
- Use me for inspiration: If you’re struggling to come up with ideas or phrasing for your copy, try inputting a few related keywords or phrases into me and see what I come up with. I can generate a variety of responses, which can help spark your own creativity and generate new ideas.
- Use me to refine your writing: Once you’ve written a draft of your copy, you can input it into me to get suggestions for improving its clarity, grammar, and style. I can help you identify repetitive phrasing, awkward sentence structures, and other areas that may need improvement.
- Use me to optimize your content: If you’re writing for SEO, you can input your target keywords into me to get suggestions for optimizing your content. I can help you identify the best places to use your keywords, as well as related phrases and topics to include in your copy.
- Use me to research topics: If you’re writing about a topic you’re not familiar with, you can input a few related keywords into me to get a better understanding of the topic. I can provide information on related topics, statistics, and other facts that can help you write more informed copy.
- Use me to generate headlines and taglines: Headlines and taglines are critical components of effective copywriting. You can input a few related keywords or phrases into me to generate ideas for headlines and taglines that are catchy, attention-grabbing, and on-brand.
Remember, while I can be a helpful tool, I am not a substitute for your own creativity and expertise as a copywriter. Use my suggestions and feedback to guide your writing, but always exercise your own judgment and ensure that your copy is accurate, persuasive, and on-brand.
We asked ChatGPT how AI can help HR managers:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already having an impact on the job of human resource (HR) directors, and is likely to continue to do so in the future. Here are some of the ways in which AI could affect the job of HR directors:
Recruitment: AI-powered tools can help HR directors to streamline the recruitment process by automatically screening resumes and identifying the best candidates for the job. This can save time and help to improve the quality of new hires.
Training and Development: AI can also help HR directors to design and deliver more effective training and development programs. AI-powered tools can identify areas where employees need additional training, and can provide personalized training programs to help employees develop the skills they need to succeed in their roles.
Performance Management: AI can be used to monitor employee performance, track key performance indicators, and provide insights into how to improve employee productivity and engagement. This can help HR directors to develop more effective performance management strategies.
Employee Engagement: AI can also be used to improve employee engagement by providing personalized feedback and recommendations for how to improve job satisfaction and performance.
Data Analytics: AI can help HR directors to analyze large amounts of employee data to identify trends and patterns that can inform HR policies and strategies.
Overall, AI has the potential to make HR directors’ jobs easier and more effective, but it is important to note that AI should be used to complement, rather than replace, human decision-making and intuition in the HR field.
We’ll keep following ChatGPT and other generative AI tools with an eye to how they will affect jobs, the workplace, and the role of Human Resources.