This week I want to talk to you about using artificial intelligence, or AI. I have recently begun to use ChatGPT, not as much as I could or should maybe, but it is a fantastic resource.

What is ChatGPT? Well, it is a software program, specifically an artificial chatbot. A chatbot (originally a chatterbot) is a software application that aims to mimic human conversation through text or voice interactions, typically online. This one has been, apparently, fine-tuned for conversational applications.

Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT rapidly gained attention for its detailed and articulate responses spanning various topics. However, one notable drawback has been its tendency to sometimes provide inaccurate information with great confidence. Professor Ethan Mollick of the University of Pennsylvania has called ChatGPT an “omniscient, eager-to-please intern who sometimes lies to you”. 

Nevertheless, by January 2023, ChatGPT it had become the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, gaining over 100 million users. Other businesses, such as Google and Meta, have begun to accelerate work on their own products.  

For those of you who are frightened by AI or just don’t think it is a worthwhile resource, please think again. If you want to get ahead in any area of business life you need to start using it, because your competitors most definitely are already and I don’t think you will want to be left behind.

There are some things you need to know when using this technology. For example, it likes to be treated well. “Please” and “thank you” will improve the quality of answer you receive, so be nice to it.

What follows is a transcript of the conversation I had with ChatGPT:

Good afternoon. I want to write a piece about you – ChatGPT. Can you give me some information about yourself and your capabilities?

ChatGPT

Good afternoon! I’d be happy to provide you with some information about myself, ChatGPT, and my capabilities.

ChatGPT is an advanced language model developed by OpenAI. Trained on a diverse range of internet text, I’m designed to assist with a wide array of tasks, including answering questions, providing information, generating text, offering suggestions, and engaging in conversation on various topics. My primary goal is to understand and generate human-like text based on the prompts I receive.

Capabilities:

1. Natural Language Understanding: I’m equipped with the ability to comprehend and interpret natural language inputs, allowing me to understand a wide range of questions and prompts.
2. Knowledge Base: I have been trained on a vast amount of text from diverse sources up until September 2021, which enables me to provide information and answer questions on a wide range of topics. However, please note that I may not have access to the most recent information as my training only goes up until that date.
3. Creative Writing: Whether it’s writing engaging blog posts, compelling stories, or informative articles, I can generate text in various styles and tones to suit your needs.
4. Language Translation: I can help with translating text from one language to another, although my translation capabilities are not as accurate as those of dedicated translation tools.
5. Text Generation and Completion: Need assistance in drafting content, generating ideas, or completing sentences? I can help by generating text based on the prompts you provide.
6. Conversational Assistance: I excel at engaging in dynamic and interactive conversations. Whether you’re looking for a friendly chat, need assistance with a task, or want to explore a specific topic, I’m here to converse with you.

Remember, while I strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it’s always a good idea to verify critical details or seek expert advice when dealing with sensitive topics or making important decisions.

I hope this overview helps you with your piece about me, ChatGPT. If you have any specific questions or need further information, feel free to ask!

Thank you, the overview is great. Would it be possible for you to provide me with some more in-depth information as well please?

ChatGPT

Certainly! Here’s some more in-depth information about ChatGPT:

1. Training and Architecture: ChatGPT is built on the GPT-3.5 architecture developed by OpenAI. It is a state-of-the-art language model that utilizes deep learning techniques, specifically a transformer neural network. The model has been trained on an extensive dataset comprising billions of sentences from a wide range of sources, including books, articles, websites, and more. By analysing and learning patterns from this diverse text corpus, I can generate coherent and contextually relevant responses to user prompts.
2. Fine-Tuning and Adaptability: While the underlying architecture and pre-training of ChatGPT are standardized, OpenAI also utilizes a process called “fine-tuning” to adapt the model to specific tasks or domains. Fine-tuning involves training the model on more specific datasets to enhance its performance in specialized areas. However, it’s important to note that as an AI language model, I don’t have direct control over my training or fine-tuning process.
3. Limitations: While ChatGPT can provide valuable information and engage in meaningful conversations, it’s important to understand its limitations. As an AI model, I don’t possess true understanding, consciousness, or personal experiences. My responses are generated based on patterns and information present in the training data. I don’t have real-time awareness of current events, and my knowledge is limited to what was available up until September 2021. Therefore, for the most up-to-date and accurate information, it’s recommended to consult reliable and authoritative sources.
4. Ethical Considerations: OpenAI places a strong emphasis on ethical usage and responsible deployment of AI technology. Efforts are made to ensure that the model aligns with societal values and fosters positive interactions. However, it’s crucial to use AI responsibly and be aware of potential biases, errors, or limitations. OpenAI also encourages users to provide feedback on problematic outputs or biases, as this helps in refining and improving the model.
5. Ongoing Development: OpenAI continues to invest in research and development to enhance the capabilities of language models like ChatGPT. This includes refining the underlying architecture, exploring techniques for better context understanding, reducing biases, and addressing ethical concerns. As a result, future iterations of the model are expected to provide even more powerful and refined language processing capabilities.

Remember, while ChatGPT strives to be helpful and provide accurate information, it’s always important to critically evaluate and corroborate the information obtained from any AI model.

I hope this additional information provides you with a deeper understanding of ChatGPT. If you have any more specific questions or need further details, feel free to ask!

 Thank you, Can you also tell me how a small business person can make best use of your amazing skills?

ChatGPT

Certainly! Here are some ways in which a small business person can make the best use of ChatGPT’s skills:

1. Customer Support and Assistance: ChatGPT can be a valuable asset for providing customer support and assistance. You can integrate me into your website or messaging platforms to address common customer queries, provide information about products or services, and offer general support. By utilizing ChatGPT, you can provide timely responses and enhance the overall customer experience.
2. Content Creation: Generating engaging and informative content is crucial for any business. ChatGPT can assist in content creation by generating blog posts, social media captions, product descriptions, or even brainstorming ideas. By leveraging my language generation capabilities, you can save time and effort in creating compelling content that resonates with your audience.
3. Market Research and Trend Analysis: Understanding market trends, consumer preferences, and conducting market research are essential for business success. ChatGPT can help in gathering and analyzing information related to market trends, customer feedback, and industry insights. By providing prompts or questions, you can tap into my knowledge base to gain valuable insights that can inform your business strategies.
4. Personalized Recommendations: Tailoring product or service recommendations to individual customers can significantly enhance their shopping experience. By utilizing customer data and preferences, you can prompt ChatGPT to provide personalized recommendations based on specific customer needs or interests. This can help drive customer engagement, increase sales, and foster loyalty.
5. Language Translation: If your business operates in a global market, language barriers can be a challenge. ChatGPT can assist in language translation tasks, helping you communicate effectively with customers or partners in different languages. While not as accurate as dedicated translation tools, ChatGPT can provide a helpful starting point for translation needs.
6. Idea Generation and Problem Solving: As an AI language model, ChatGPT can aid in idea generation and problem-solving. If you’re facing a creative block or need fresh perspectives on a business challenge, you can engage in a conversation with ChatGPT, providing prompts or discussing your ideas. This can stimulate innovative thinking and help overcome obstacles.

Remember to leverage ChatGPT as a tool in your business operations and supplement it with human expertise. While ChatGPT can provide valuable insights and assistance, human judgment and decision-making remain essential for critical business matters.

It’s worth noting that OpenAI has specific guidelines and terms of use for commercial applications of the GPT-3 model, so be sure to familiarize yourself with those to ensure compliance.

I hope these suggestions help you make the best use of ChatGPT’s skills for your small business. If you have any more specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

So, there you have it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. For me, using ChatGPT has really helped to cut down on my research time. I do a ton of research for my blogs, particularly the ones dealing with a specific colour, so having this tool to assist me is great. I still add a lot of my own knowledge but ChatGPT enhances what I write.

I do suggest that you give it a try. Don’t forget that you will, of course, need to read through what ChatGPT produces, check that any facts given are accurate and add a human touch to what you are expressing. When I create content for my blogs I do my own research, pop a couple of questions into ChatGPT and then check that what it has written makes sense, is converted into English rather than US English (my editor and I left ChatGPT’s responses untouched, to reflect the output accurately) and then combine it’s offerings with the research I have done myself.

I have yet to use it for my story or artist’s statement simply because I am fairly happy with what I have currently. However, as I update these documents regularly, I may see what it comes up with when I next get around to updating my website.

I have seen it used for an Instagram post which gained a lot of attention, so it might be a good way to set up your posts. So have fun, don’t trust it fully, and see if/how it can add creatively to your written works.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please like and follow me and share it with people who you think might be interested. I am always looking for new artists to feature and if there is a subject you would like me to write about, I will be happy to consider it. Sharing, liking and following my blogs increases the number of people the algorithm shows them to. If you check out my website you can see my class bookings are now online too.

Thank you in advance for supporting me this way.