Understanding AI: Insights from an Enthusiast's Perspective

I work in the field of technical content creation. I’m observing a disruption in business operations that I can only guess is due to artificial intelligence (AI). So, I’m satisfying my curiosity and conducting my own research.?

For the better part of the past year, information about AI has been flooding my newsfeed relentlessly. While the pace continues to be brisk, I’m now seeing some trends in the information. These trends validate and confirm some of the earlier suppositions and theories I have read about, and they discredit others.

My research includes experimenting with a multitude of tools built on OpenAI's platform … the proliferation of which can’t be exaggerated. In January 2023, working with Devon M. , my colleague at Fixate IO , we compiled a list of 45 AI-powered tools tailored for content creation. Over the next eight months, I added to that list as I stumbled upon new solutions that content creators might find valuable. By August 2023, the list had grown to include 65 tools, but it isn't exhaustive, by any means. It highlights, however, the ubiquity of tools powered by OpenAI, even for niche purposes like content creation.

What I’m Learning

As a result of my research so far, I claim this fundamental belief and understanding: artificial intelligence is essentially a fusion of search and automation, packaged to make it accessible, cost-effective, and remarkably efficient.

I must emphasize that I am no more than an enthusiastic observer of AI. Of the AI tools I use, ChatGPT has left the strongest impression on me—perhaps that surprises no one. However, I acknowledge that ChatGPT, like all technologies, has its limitations and weaknesses. For a user like myself, though, it possesses strengths that, to varying degrees, enhance my efficiency, productivity, and creativity. It's a testament to the principle of "everything in moderation."

I combine the efficiencies of ChatGPT with a customized system of automated processes that I use every day in my job overseeing the operations of a content creation agency. So far, in my experience using AI, I recognize it as a tool that can make me more effective in the work I do.

Where I’m Learning From

One cannot research AI without encountering the name Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, and his accomplished team. I find myself fascinated and encouraged as I delve into OpenAI's history, philosophy, approach, and methodologies. Their utilization of "red teams" to scrutinize vulnerabilities, coupled with their recognition of the risks, challenges, and potential of AI, stands out as commendable.

Seeking the opinions and discoveries of others, I engaged with numerous posts and articles on LinkedIn. This activity attracted the attention of a university extending an invitation to meet to discuss serving on their advisory board for an AI-related course they were developing. This turned out to be a thinly-veiled marketing ploy to entice me to pay a "highly-reduced tuition fee" in exchange for reviewing and contributing to their curriculum. In short, I declined their offer to serve on the advisory board.

Nevertheless, this experience inspired me to explore what other educational organizations were offering in terms of AI courses. While I won't enumerate them here, suffice it to say that a multitude of reputable universities provide online courses in artificial intelligence. A simple online search for "university courses on artificial intelligence" will yield a plethora of options.

Participating in a formalized university course holds significant appeal for me. However, in an interview conducted by Fortune magazine, Mura Murati, the CTO of OpenAI, remarked on the challenge of adapting to the constant changes within their operations due to the rapid advancements in technology. This led me to ponder how course curricula for a constantly evolving topic can be planned and executed in a manner that truly facilitates effective learning.

Even before AI emerged as a business tool, it was widely recognized that most of the knowledge acquired during a four-year degree would become obsolete before graduation. Now, contemplate the implications of this in the context of AI—a field characterized by its lightning-fast evolution. It's a rather daunting prospect.

I'm hesitant to invest time and money into a potentially unproven method for disseminating knowledge about how AI works. Nevertheless, I peruse the course curriculums and am gaining insight and general knowledge about the pillars of AI and a logical sequence for learning about it.

How I Will Apply What I’m Learning

How I apply what I’m learning will undoubtedly evolve as AI continues to evolve. I expect to focus on AI as it relates to content creation.

For example, with the conclusion of the Hollywood writers' strike, clear guidelines have emerged regarding the appropriate and acceptable use of AI-generated content. The agreement forged between writers and producers outlines the expectations surrounding AI's role as a creative tool. The agreement underscores that AI does not produce literary or source material and does not need to be cited as such. Furthermore, this agreement serves to safeguard the reputation of credited writers, and their right to be compensated for their work.

I presume that the logic that led to this agreement will be contemplated and squared among other entities that rely on content and content creators. In the meantime, as an enthusiast and mainstream user of AI, I’ll continue developing my skills for using it to enhance productivity and streamline processes in the business of technical content creation.