Insights from Implementing ChatGPT

Last November, I had the opportunity to speak on adopting AI in business models at the UK Productivity Week organised by Be the Business . Since then, we've embarked on an insightful journey of integrating ChatGPT into our consultancy business at gigCMO , refining our processes and enhancing our services for SME clients. While we have tried different generative AI tools, I am focusing this article on ChatGPT because it has been the focus of our experimentation over the past six months. We are not biased toward ChatGPT; it’s simply where our experience lies at the moment. We will share our experiment with other tools in more depth and share our experiences in the future.

AI as a Thought Partner

When we first started using ChatGPT, it primarily assisted with simple, repetitive tasks, freeing up our team to focus on more complex and creative work. As we grew more comfortable with the technology, we discovered its potential as a strategic partner. ChatGPT's ability to generate ideas and provide structured feedback transformed our content creation process. It moved from merely an assistant to an integral part of our strategy team, helping us brainstorm and refine ideas, ensuring our content was both engaging and relevant.

One of the most significant benefits we discovered was ChatGPT's role as a thinking partner. By engaging in detailed conversations, it helped us contemplate various scenarios and brainstorm new ideas. For example, when tasked with writing a topical article, we wanted to avoid clichés and generic content. Initial attempts with ChatGPT didn't yield satisfactory results. However, we then used ChatGPT to interview ourselves, asking probing questions that triggered unique ideas. This experience highlighted AI as a means to an end, facilitating our creative process rather than dictating it.

Our overall content strategy has also evolved. With ChatGPT, we can evaluate and enhance our strategy more dynamically. We employ an 'octopus-style' content strategy with multiple tentacles representing different content pillars. ChatGPT helps us ensure we cover all aspects by constantly evaluating and suggesting improvements, thus enriching our content.

Enhancing Data Management and Analysis

In managing our leads pipeline, we established strict guidelines to ensure data privacy, avoiding inputting any sensitive information into ChatGPT. However, the AI's ability to assist in designing logical structures and suggesting formulas for complex calculations proved invaluable. It helped streamline our data management processes, making them more efficient and less prone to error.

ChatGPT has been instrumental in providing logical frameworks for our leads pipeline. It suggests formulas for complex calculations, helping us optimise our data management. For instance, when designing different lead pipeline models, ChatGPT's recommendations for formula usage have saved time and reduced errors. This streamlined approach has been particularly beneficial for handling large datasets and ensuring accuracy.

Practical Applications and Limitations

Despite its many benefits, we've also encountered some limitations. For instance, using ChatGPT to create social media captions often resulted in generic or off-mark content. This task required the nuanced understanding that only a human touch could provide. However, ChatGPT proved useful for generating message ideas, which we then refined and personalised. It also excelled at inserting emojis into existing content, adding engagement without compromising the message.

Our team initially responded positively to the introduction of ChatGPT. Many team members were already using it to some extent, so formalising its use within our workflow was well received. However, we encountered challenges in standardising its use. Different team members were inputting varying background information, leading to inconsistent results. To address this, we created customised GPTs for each brand and project, ensuring that prompts were focused on specific task briefings. This centralised approach helped maintain consistency and improved the quality of outputs.

Another challenge was transitioning from using AI like a search engine to treating it as a conversational partner. Unlike keyword-based searches, interacting with AI requires detailed prompts, similar to briefing a human colleague. This shift took time, but it significantly enhanced the quality of our AI interactions.

Human Oversight and Collaboration

An essential aspect of our AI journey has been the emphasis on human oversight. While ChatGPT can generate insightful content and provide valuable assistance, it is the human touch that ensures the final output aligns with our standards and objectives. Our team plays a critical role in evaluating AI-generated content, refining it, and making it resonate with our audience. This collaborative approach between AI and human expertise has been a cornerstone of our success.

We treat ChatGPT as an additional team member with specific roles, supporting but not replacing our human experts. For instance, we always rewrite AI-generated content, iterating multiple times to ensure it meets our standards. This iterative process combines the efficiency of AI with the creativity and nuance of human oversight, resulting in high-quality, engaging content.

Ethical Considerations and Best Practices

As we continue to integrate AI into our operations, we remain mindful of the ethical considerations. Ensuring that our use of AI is transparent, fair, and unbiased is paramount. We are committed to regularly reviewing and updating our AI protocols to align with best practices and regulatory requirements. This includes being vigilant about data privacy, addressing potential biases, and ensuring that AI applications are used responsibly.

Transparency with our clients about our use of AI is crucial. To further enhance our ethical practices, we plan to implement more robust measures, such as regular audits and feedback loops, to identify and mitigate biases. As an AI researcher from Warwick University advises, we stay critical of AI outputs, constantly questioning the perspective and context of the information provided.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation

The dynamic nature of AI technology means that continuous learning and adaptation are crucial. AI is learning, and so should we. We are dedicated to staying abreast of the latest developments in AI and exploring new ways to enhance our services. This proactive approach allows us to remain competitive and deliver innovative solutions to our clients. By fostering a culture of learning and experimentation, we empower our team to harness AI's full potential.

We regularly test new AI tools, leveraging their strengths to complement our workflows. Each tool has its pros and cons, and we aim to use the best features of each. For example, we might use one AI for content generation and another for data analysis, ensuring we benefit from specialised functionalities. This continuous learning process enables us to adapt and innovate effectively.

Conclusion

Our journey with ChatGPT has underscored the importance of embracing AI thoughtfully and strategically, recognising its potential while being mindful of its limitations and ethical implications. We remain committed to harnessing AI's potential in ways that complement and enhance our human expertise, driving innovation and efficiency while delivering exceptional value to our clients.

Disclaimer: This article has been reviewed, criticised, improved, rewritten, and refined through multiple rounds by humans, ChatGPT, and Grammarly.

We invite you to share your experiences and thoughts on integrating AI into your business. Let's learn and grow together in this evolving technological landscape.