ChatGPT 101 - Your Thousand Foot View of the Trending AI Chatbot

Knowing how to use ChatGPT is going to be a game-changer for small businesses and entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries. This wasn’t in my content plan for January, but once I started exploring, I knew I needed to pivot!

I’m guessing you’ve seen some chatter on your social channels about some new AI technology. If you’re anything like me you went down a rabbit hole. Now all you’re getting is vids of new business ideas and you need to reset your TikTok algorithm, all thanks to OpenAi and a free chatbot prototype.

There’s a lot of speculation swirling around about how AI is going to change the way we work, learn, and create in the future. I did an Instagram Live HERE offering my initial reflections about all that, but I’m continuing to learn and will share the knowledge as I earn it.

Staying abreast of the situation will be important, and I’m not here to gatekeep information or pretend like nothing’s happening. Ultimately, I want to share what I learn, especially if it’ll help a small biz that doesn’t have the marketing budget to invest in my services.

So let’s dive in and get an overview of what the hell this ‘ChatGPT’ thing is that everyone’s talking about.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand and respond to questions and statements. It uses a state-of-the-art language processing technology to understand the context and meaning of words and phrases, and then generates appropriate responses.

So if you’ve ever wanted to have a conversation with a robot now you can. Can’t say that I’ve ever had that fantasy but hey, no judgment here!

How does ChatGPT work?

You got the industry jargon above, so let’s break it down to layman’s terms here.

Here's a simplified step-by-step of what happens when you interact with ChatGPT.

• You type a message into the chatbot.
• ChatGPT processes your message and tries to understand the meaning of your words and phrases.
• It searches its database of human language to find the most relevant response.
• ChatGPT generates a response based on this information.
• The response is sent back to you.

This process happens very quickly, so it feels like you are having a conversation with a real person.

You can respond to what the bot sends back to you, continuing the conversation in a back-and-forth exchange. When you’re ready to start a new subject, you simply click the “New Chat” button at the top of your chat history bar on the left side of the screen.

Where did ChatGPT come from?

If you really don’t care, just skip this section. It’s not really my thing, not gonna’ lie. Welcome to a Pillar post I guess? This is where you get the all-inclusive experience on the topic of choice!

The technology behind ChatGPT, called GPT-3 (short for "Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3"), was developed by the artificial intelligence research company OpenAI. The first version of GPT, called GPT-1, was released in 2018. It was followed by GPT-2 in 2019 and GPT-3 in 2020.

GPT-3 is a type of language processing technology called a transformer model. It works by processing and analyzing large datasets of human language and using this information to understand the context and meaning of words and phrases. It can then generate appropriate responses to questions and statements based on this understanding. At least, that’s the goal!

The technology has been used to develop a variety of chatbots and other language-based AI applications, including ChatGPT. People are currently experimenting with these chatbots to find out how they can be used. The bots, in turn, are learning how to answer customer questions, provide information, and even just have casual conversations.

Overall, the history of ChatGPT and GPT-3 highlights the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and language processing technology. 5 YEARS from version 1 to what we have now, guys… that’s insane! The potential for these technologies to transform a variety of industries and applications is only now beginning to be understood.

The development of GPT-3 and similar bots has stoked both excitement and concern. Sure, this new tech has insane potential for streamlining services and enhancing productivity. But what about all the ways it could go wrong?

With that in mind, let’s move on to outlining what ChatGPT is capable of and where it lacks.

What can ChatGPT do?

It can answer questions, have conversations about a wide range of topics, and even tell jokes. The back-and-forth dialogue enables you to clarify things if necessary. It can give you information to aid research efforts, create content calendars, code, and more. ChatGPT is constantly learning and improving, so it can get smarter over time.

But remember, ChatGPT is not human (DUH) and may not always understand what you’re getting at. That can lead it to respond in ways that don’t actually give you what you’re looking for. That’s why it’s important for users to experiment with phrases and learn how to be specific and clear in their prompts.

So what can ChatGPT NOT do?

Like all AI systems, ChatGPT has limitations. Here are a few examples:

• Lack of common sense: ChatGPT doesn't have a full understanding of the world and how it works. That sometimes leaves it unable to provide responses rooted in common sense.
• Difficulty with ambiguous or unclear input: It may have difficulty understanding if the prompt isn’t specific enough. Clarity is key to getting quality output. Without it, the bot may provide inappropriate or unrelated responses.
• Limited understanding of context: Again, this is a robot. It can’t be expected to have a full understanding of the context in which a conversation is taking place. That can lead it to give responses that are unrelated to the conversation.
• Ethical concerns: There are also ethical concerns surrounding the use of ChatGPT such as the potential for misuse or exploitation.

Overall, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can provide a wide range of services and insights. But it’s important to be aware of its limitations and to use it responsibly.

So, on to the million-dollar question…what can ChatGPT do for you?

How can small businesses use ChatGPT for content marketing?

• Generate ideas for blog posts and social media updates: One of the easiest ways to use ChatGPT is in brainstorming ideas. Simply tell it about your business or target audience and it will provide suggestions for topics to explore.
• Write engaging headlines: You already know that headlines are crucial for grabbing your audience's attention and getting them to read more. Use ChatGPT to come up with catchy and informative headlines to stand out online and in social media feeds.
• Create compelling social media posts: Use ChatGPT to generate ideas for social media updates to engage followers and drive traffic to your website. You can have it come up with creative prompts for your audience to respond to.
• Write engaging email subject lines: Email marketing is an important part of any content marketing strategy, and subject lines are key for improving open rates. Use ChatGPT to generate attention-grabbing subject lines that will encourage subscribers to click.
• Generate video scripts: Video is a powerful content marketing tool, we all know that. ChatGPT can not only give ideas for videos, but it can also write scripts for your talent.

And really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’ll keep offering new ways it can transform your business, so stick around in the blog or on my socials!

How can I get the best results from ChatGPT?

Here’s how to enhance your experience when using ChatGPT.

• Use clear and concise language: ChatGPT is designed to understand and respond to human language. That’s why clarity is key when interacting with it. Avoid using industry jargon or technical language that may be confusing, and try to keep your messages short and to the point.
• Use proper punctuation: Proper punctuation can help ChatGPT understand the meaning and structure of your sentences. For example, using a period at the end of a sentence indicates that it is a complete thought, while using a question mark at the end of a sentence indicates that you are asking a question. Using end marks also helps avoid confusing the bot and resulting in unrelated responses.
• Use the "+" and "-" operators: You can use the "+" and "-" signs to fine-tune the responses you receive. For example, "+" followed by a word or phrase will indicate that you want the bot to focus on that topic. Using "-" followed by a word or phrase tells it to avoid that topic.
• Be specific with your questions: ChatGPT can provide answers to a wide range of questions, but it’s still important to be narrow with your inquiries. For example, instead of asking "What is the history of computers?", try asking something more specific. "What were the first computers like and how did they evolve over time?" will result in a much more articulate response.
• Be patient: This bot is pretty sharp, but it may not always respond to your questions the way you expect. If you don't get a satisfactory answer, try rephrasing your question or providing more context.

Following these best practices can help you get the most out of ChatGPT, and improve your odds for high-quality and relevant responses.

The Future of ChatGPT and AI Technology

It's difficult to predict exactly what the future will hold for ChatGPT and other chatbots that use GPT-3 technology. However, it IS likely that these technologies will continue to evolve and improve over time.

Here are a few potential areas of development I’ll be interested to see pan out.

• Enhanced language understanding: They’ll become better at understanding context and the meaning of words and phrases. That should make them more accurate and relevant in responding.
• Improved natural language: I’ll be curious to see how skilled they become at understanding and generating human-like language. If they can ever hack community slang and contractions, that’ll be helpful!
• Increased personalization: They may be able to tailor responses and conversations to individual users based on factors such as interests, preferences, and past interactions.
• Enhanced integration with other systems: Integrating more seamlessly with other systems and technologies would allow them to provide more comprehensive and efficient services. I’m sure there will be a massive push to enhance the current capabilities.
• Expanded use cases: Improvements like these could usher ChatGPT into more industries.

Overall, it is likely that ChatGPT and other chatbots will continue to become more sophisticated and able to provide a wider range of services to users in the future.

Though the Service is Free ATM, Rumor Has It That Won’t Last Forever

Currently, neither ChatGPT or other chatbots are available for purchase. GPT-3 is a technology platform currently used to power a variety of apps and services. Some of these may be available for purchase or subscription, but the bot itself is not what you're paying for.

It’s difficult to predict exactly how much ChatGPT will cost when it’s monetized. The price will depend on a variety of factors, obviously. We still don’t know the specific features and capabilities of the final version, what market demand will become, or the cost of developing and maintaining the technology.

What will probably happen is that ChatGPT and bots that use GPT-3 technology will be offered as part of a range of pricing options. That will allow users to choose the specific features they need and not shoulder the full weight of the technology’s capabilities. Another possibility is that some bots will offer basic functionality for free and additional features available for fees or as a subscription service.

How can I try ChatGPT?

There are many websites and apps using ChatGPT and you can technically try it there. I, for one, like to go directly to the source. To do that, just follow these steps.

1. Click THIS LINK.
2. Click on the word “Try” in the black bar at the top of your screen.
3. Create an account.
4. Start entering prompts.

For me, there’s no learning as powerful as doing. So by all means, hop off this page and go check it out for yourself! Play around and explore, then let other small business owners in on your secrets.

It’s time to embrace this new opportunity and rock your content marketing plans for 2023.