ChatGPT, your wingman

Use it as intended and to its full potential

We all have been flirting and playing with it for a few months. Here's what you need to know and what I learned to get the most out of it.?

1. First and?foremost. ChatGPT is not an?assistant; it's a wingman.?
2. Second, it's still me who has the brains and?does?the strategic work.?

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Why it matters

It's good to know how to use ChatGPT as intended and to its full potential. ChatGPT is not an assistant to do your dirty work. It’s a co-pilot; it's?your wingman to help you do better.?

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No new insights or strategies

ChatGPT is a generative AI. In short, it’s a language model with a chat-like interface that works based on probabilities. This means ChatGPT doesn’t give you genuinely new insights, strategies, or ideas.?

How generative AI works

The best part of generative AI is that it has no bias, judgments, or view of its own. ChatGPT can help you by giving rational arguments. Together you can sharpen your thinking, broaden your mind, and come up with a different approach.

It’s a great sparring partner; it’s?still you who has the brains and has to guide ChatGPT to get the desired output.

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Conversational design

As said, it’s you who’s in the driver's seat. Bossing around ChatGPT doesn’t get you anywhere. Chatting with ChatGPT is where the magic is created. Notice that it’s already in its name.

That’s?why you should say?‘hi’,?‘thank you’, and?‘please’?to ChatGPT. It’s not that AI cares; it?triggers your mindset on how your brain works and to get the most out of ChatGPT. Starting the conversation is for you, not for ChatGPT.

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Know when to use it and when not

Understanding the dark aspects makes you thrive in your job. Know when to use it and when not.

A few of the downfalls and weak points are copyright, the confidentiality of your information entered in ChatGPT, data privacy concerns, and giving false information.?

We’ve seen?what happens when your lawyer uses ChatGPT?to prepare a court filing to sue an airline. It did not go well.

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How I use ChatGPT as a wingman

Below is how I currently use ChatGPT and what works for me.

Currently, this is my most loved feature of ChatGPT. I ask for alternative words, synonyms, translations, or different ways of writing something. As a non-native English writer, I sometimes struggle with the right words or ways of saying things. Use simple prompts like ‘hi, what’s a different way of saying?…’ or ‘what’s a synonym for…’

ChatGPT is also great for inspiration if you’re stuck for words. Bluntly prompt what you want to know, followed by a ‘can you rewrite this in an informal tone of voice’. The output is the input for your writing.?

You can also use ChatGPT to assist you?with?editing and proofreading. Honestly, I prefer to do this myself. Being a seasoned writer, it’s quite an easy job,?especially?if I’ve already used ChatGPT to assist me?in?finding the right words and phrases. And please keep in mind, everything you upload to ChatGPT is used and shared by ChatGPT; there's?no exclusivity or?confidentiality.?

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Final words

All that having said, ChatGPT is fun. And nothing short of amazing. We all know that and experienced that.?

Those who rise to the top and excel are the ones who keep the bigger picture in mind, use ChatGPT as a wingman, and are aware of when not to use ChatGPT.?

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Sources

Credits where credits are due. I'm inspired by ‘Beyond the hype on ChatGPT’ by?WARC.?That's my go-to source for insights, research, best practices, and cases. Yes, it's a paid subscription; for me, absolutely worth it. If you're a freebie, subscribe to their?newsletter?and?podcast?to get some content for free.?

Learn how generative AI works?by Google Cloud Skill Boost. This is a dummy-proof explanation of why and how ChatGPT does what it does.?Also, this ‘What ChatGPT is doing and why does it work’ is a great read.?

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