Chat GPT and the importance of style

Try this as an experiment. Ask Chat GPT to write you an article on the future of AI in education. You'll get something like this (first paragraph only to illustrate):

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about topics in the education sector. With advancements in technology and the increasing availability of data, many experts believe that AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we learn and teach. In this article, we will explore the ways in which AI is already being used in education, and how it is likely to be used in the next ten years.

Pretty dull. It's ok but sounds like any one of a hundred clickbaity articles that flood the internet on a daily basis. These leave me cold.

But ask them to write in the style of technology magazine feature article and things get a little spicier:

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a buzzword that's been making waves in the world of education. With technology advancing at a rapid pace, and data becoming more and more accessible, many experts believe that AI has the potential to change the way we learn and teach. But what exactly does that mean for the future of education?

Getting warmer. Leading questions in the first paragraph draw the reader in. I teach this a lot when I teach article writing.

You can have some fun with it as well. How about in the style of a trashy airport thriller?

It was a dark and stormy night, and Dr. Sarah Smith sat nervously at her desk, staring at the computer screen in front of her. She had been working on a top-secret project for months, and she knew that the fate of the education system hinged on the success of her work.

She was a leading AI expert, and she had been tasked with developing a revolutionary new educational system that would change the way we learn and teach forever. But as she stared at the lines of code on her screen, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Ok, you get the idea. It's pretty cliche but you can see how it's taking the generic conventions of the thriller and laying them out there for all to see.

Finally, a romance novel:

It was a beautiful summer day, and Dr. Sarah Smith was on the campus of the prestigious university where she taught. She was a brilliant AI expert, but her life had been lacking in love. That is, until she met Jack.

Jack was a new professor at the university, and he was unlike any man Sarah had ever met. He was charming, intelligent, and passionate about teaching. They met in the faculty lounge and their eyes locked in a gaze that felt like it could last forever.

Again, horribly cliche but it's using the conventions to a letter.

Through iterating, you can change the style of the text so it fits what you want it to communicate. The more specific you are, the better. Take this prompt for our article: 'Take the role of a feature article writer for a UK education magazine aimed at senior leaders aged between 30 and 50. Your task is to write a 1000-word feature article on the advantages and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in education, and predictions for the next ten years. The style should be lively and engaging and hit the pain points educators are currently feeling about AI in schools and universities. Ensure the first two paragraphs hook the reader in and make them want to read on.'

Welcome to the world of AI in education! It's a topic that's generating a lot of buzz among educators and education leaders. From personalized lesson plans to virtual reality and augmented reality, the possibilities are endless. But before you get too excited, it's important to consider the potential pitfalls as well. In this feature article, we'll take a closer look at the advantages and pitfalls of AI in education, and make some predictions for the next ten years. Are you ready to discover the future of learning?

Imagine being able to customize your lesson plan to each individual student, based on their strengths, weaknesses, and learning style. This is the promise of AI in education. With the use of AI algorithms, educators can create a personalized learning experience for each student, leading to improved engagement and learning outcomes. But there's more to the story than just personalization. AI can also save educators time and effort, by answering students' questions and providing feedback on assignments, freeing up teachers to focus on more important tasks. But is AI really the answer to all of education's problems? or it could be a double-edged sword? Let's dive in and find out.

By defining the parameters as clearly as possible, you can get Chat GPT to write you almost anything, in almost any style. As in most machine writing, you're probably going to want to tweak it to make it sound more like you, but if you're pushed for time and want the grunt work taken away then Chat GPT could save you a lot of time.

In addition, when teaching style in school, what better way than to allow students to play with generic conventions through this application? It's easy to spot conventions and they can then use them in their own writing.

Have fun!