“Trish, how can I make the most out of ChatGPT? How do u use it?”
Hi there, and welcome back to another week of Ask Trish! I hope you’re all well and having a wonderful end to May. If you can believe it, this is my last post of May 2024 (*gasp* – I know!). Here’s to the soon-arriving start of June!
Thank you so much to this week’s question-er for a question I know many of you have been wondering about…how can you make the most of generative AI technologies like ChatGPT? What do I, the legendary Trish (I know, very humble!) use ChatGPT for, if at all? And what things would I suggest keeping in mind when leaning on GenAI? Well, this week, I’m getting into all of it. Below, I share some tips/suggestions for using platforms like ChatGPT. I follow it up with some caveats and things to keep in mind/do when you rely on these technologies. Sound like a plan? Let’s get into it.
First and foremost…how do I use generative AI technology like ChatGPT/how would I recommend getting the most out of it? Without further ado, here are my tips:
- Use ChatGPT/similar technologies to brainstorm or for idea generation. If you’re ever stuck trying to come up with an idea – or trying to think of what might be relevant to an idea you already have – ChatGPT can offer some interesting food for thought. Say, for instance, that you’re planning a friend’s birthday party, but you’re just not sure what the theme should be. Throw some criteria into ChatGPT, and see what themes it might suggest. Or maybe you’ve already got the theme, but you’re not sure what a “pirate-themed party” ought to feature. Again, ChatGPT can give you some initial ideas…that you can then dig into further.
- You can also use GenAI to structure your thoughts. If you’re at all like me, you may have a ton of ideas or insights about a topic in your head…but wonder how to put those ideas/insights together. Once again, ChatGPT may have some recommendations! Just tell it, “I want to say X, Y, and Z; what are five different ways that I can do that?” Boom – you have some options. From here, you can refine and tailor to your taste.
- Use ChatGPT to have a discussion/see a different point of view. Particularly now that ChatGPT-4o, which features a voice assistant, is here, ChatGPT can be a great tool with which to explore the other side of your ideas. Say you’re making the case for something…try your argument out on ChatGPT. See what it thinks/how it would rebuff you, and then use those responses to strengthen your own argument. (You can even ask ChatGPT for counterarguments to its counterarguments!) But once again, as with all of these tips, you can use ChatGPT/similar technologies to broaden your horizons, to see differently. And that’s super powerful!
Okay…so now you have my tips. What about my caveats and considerations (which, I’d note, are just as important)? Let’s dive in, part 2:
- Remember that ChatGPT is NOT a trustworthy source of information. You’ll notice that many of my tips revolve around taking an idea or thought that you already have and using GenAI to engage with that idea…rather than using GenAI to come up with information from scratch. The reason why is because GenAI is simply not an authoritative source of information. To date, it still routinely (and very confidently) produces false information, a phenomenon that is often labeled a “hallucination.” Don’t be a victim of a hallucination…and always double and triple-check any information ChatGPT gives you. Even better, avoid using it to give you descriptive or factual information.
- Don’t use ChatGPT to engage in academic dishonesty. Y’all, I’m serious about this one. Doing so can land you in some serious trouble, trouble that is just not worth it. Nowadays, it’s actually quite easy to spot if something is generated; GenAI detectors have popped up everywhere, and there’s a good chance your teacher/Professor is using one. So don’t do it! Engage in the learning process instead. You/your super fancy mind will thank yourself later, trust me.
- Remember that ChatGPT/GenAI technologies are just an option. All technology is just an option, not something we have to take advantage of/use. Yes, you can rely on ChatGPT to have a discussion/see a different point of view, but guess how else you can do that? With another human being. So definitely leverage GenAI technologies to your benefit, but don’t forget that there are tons of other traditional ways of achieving the same task, approaches that may be more meaningful and rewarding.
Hopefully, that should get you well on your way to making the most of generative AI technologies…responsibly. Let me know if these tips work and if you have any others you’d add! And if this advice was helpful, as you enjoy the lovely feeling of being helped, do me a huge favor and help me out: share whatever tech or internet-related concerns or musings you have here. I’m excited to learn more about what’s on your mind, and hopefully, keep sharing valuable guidance. Thank you in advance for contributing!
Have a great week,
Trish