Imagine having a versatile and adaptable AI ‘actor’ at your disposal, ready to take on a multitude of roles to support you in your work. This is exactly what ChatGPT promises to be. In this blog post, Nick Scott explains what it is, how it works, how you might use it, what the risks and opportunities are and, ultimately, how it might become part of your digital strategy. He also explores the dynamic nature of ChatGPT – in particular, how it can seamlessly switch between various roles: researcher, copywriter, tutor, security consultant or co-designer.
‘Author’ note: This blog post is written by combining one of the core prompt instructions of ChatGPT – ‘act as a [role]’ and adding in my notes. Nothing you read here is 100% human nor 100% robot.
Act as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic tutor, excited to share their expertise on ChatGPT and its underlying technology with the reader. Present some of the key definitions a charity might need to know to follow the conversations around ChatGPT.
As your enthusiastic AI tutor, I’m here to break down the essentials of ChatGPT and its underlying technology, in simple terms:
- Generative AI refers to the ability of artificial intelligence to create original content like text, audio or video.
- Large Language Models (LLM) are AI models that learn from extensive text datasets and generate responses based on given prompts.
- OpenAI is a leading company in AI technology and the creator of ChatGPT.
- GPT, or ‘Generative Pre-trained Transformer’, is a series of large language models, with GPT-4 being the latest version.
- ChatGPT is a chat-based interface designed to interact with LLMs, generating human-like text, answering questions and performing various natural language processing tasks.
Act as a creative storyteller, weaving a narrative around the ways ChatGPT can be used and incorporating real-life scenarios that charity staff might face to make the content relatable and engaging.
Imagine your day as a charity leader, with ChatGPT as your versatile AI companion, always ready to adapt to your needs. Throughout your day, this AI companion morphs into different roles, providing support whenever you need it.
In the morning, as you find yourself swamped with tasks and an overflowing inbox. ChatGPT acts as your diligent secretary, drafting emails, summarising notes and identifying action points to help you regain control of your day.
As you move on to work on a fundraising campaign, ChatGPT transforms into a skilled junior copywriter, writing, editing and updating text and copy that effectively conveys your message.
Just before lunch, as you’re brainstorming ideas for a new proposal, ChatGPT becomes a possibility engine, generating alternative ways of expressing your ideas and inspiring creative solutions.
As you develop an argument for a proposal, it takes on the role of a Socratic opponent, challenging your ideas and assisting in refining your argument. During the review process, it also dons the hat of a bias discoverer, identifying and explaining potential biases in your text to promote fairness and inclusivity.
As you struggle to stay motivated and engaged after lunch, ChatGPT takes on the role of a motivator, offering games and challenges to extend your learning and professional activities.
With your energy up, it is time to learn a new skill. It becomes your personal tutor and study buddy, guiding you through the process and providing immediate feedback on your progress.
Finally, at the end of the day, ChatGPT steps in as a critical friend, reviewing and assessing your day and the work you’ve done to find opportunities for improvement and ideas you can mull over on the journey home.
Act as a friendly mentor, offering guidance and tips to help charities get the most out of their ChatGPT experience, while sharing personal anecdotes of their own journey with the AI.
As a friendly mentor who has worked with ChatGPT extensively, I want to share five helpful tips and insights I’ve gathered along the way to ensure you get the best results from this amazing AI tool:
- Don’t be afraid to roleplay with ChatGPT. Assign it a specific role, like asking it to ‘act as a top-notch consultant’. This helps the AI understand the context, allowing it to perform at its best.
- I recommend focusing on tasks where you have expertise. By collaborating with ChatGPT in areas you’re knowledgeable in, you’ll be able to guide the AI more effectively and get the most valuable insights and assistance.
- From my experience, providing detailed context is essential. The more information you give it, the better it can grasp the background of your request and deliver the results you need.
- Guidance is crucial. Offer step-by-step directions for ChatGPT on how to complete the task, so the results align with your expectations.
- Lastly, always remember that iteration is key. ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it might not always get things right the first time. Engage in a conversation with the AI, asking for changes, improvements or clarifications as needed.
Act as a knowledgeable customer support representative, providing accurate and concise answers to common questions around ChatGPT, ensuring that charities receive the information they need.
- Is ChatGPT free? Yes, there is a free version available, but you can also upgrade to ChatGPT Plus at US$20/month for additional benefits.
- What is the difference between the free and paid version? ChatGPT Plus subscribers enjoy priority access to the latest releases (including exclusive access to GPT-4), more reliable availability and faster response speeds.
- Can ChatGPT access the internet? Currently, ChatGPT cannot access the internet. However, plugins are under development to enable this feature. In the meantime, Bing AI is a similar service that can access the internet through a browser.
- Does ChatGPT work in all countries? ChatGPT works in most places but is blocked or unavailable in around 30 countries, including Italy.
- Can I ask ChatGPT questions in any language? ChatGPT works best in English due to the extensive information available in that language. However, it also functions in other languages like Spanish, Portuguese and French, though the reliability of responses may vary depending on the language.
- Is ChatGPT always available? Due to high demand, the free version of ChatGPT may occasionally be unavailable or run slowly. Upgrading to ChatGPT Plus can help ensure more consistent availability and faster response times.
Act as a technology journalist who seeks to present information in a balanced and informative manner. Outline the potential risks and limitations of ChatGPT to charities.
As a technology journalist, it is my duty to provide you with a balanced understanding of ChatGPT, including its limitations and ethical concerns.
While ChatGPT is an impressive AI language model, it has some major limitations. Firstly, its data only goes up to 2021, which means it may not have knowledge of events or developments since then. Secondly, ChatGPT has limited memory and may struggle to remember information over the course of long requests. Lastly, its eagerness to serve can sometimes lead it to ‘hallucinate’ text, generating plausible-sounding but incorrect information.
Alongside these limitations, there are safety and ethical concerns to keep in mind when using ChatGPT. Some of the key concerns include: biases in outputs due to biased data inputs; the potential to generate false information; copyright issues surrounding both source and generated content; potential data storage issues when inputted information is used to train the system; and the environmental impact of each query and the training process. As technology continues to advance, it’s crucial that we remain vigilant about these concerns to ensure responsible AI usage.
Act as a futurist to outline other similar technologies that are available and how these developments might shape charities’ digital strategies.
As a futurist, allow me to guide you through the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, where new and exciting tools are being developed to shape our future. In this ever-changing world, various contenders are emerging to redefine how we interact with technology.
Google’s Bard is set to rival ChatGPT, aiming to captivate users with its generative language capabilities. Claude, another chat-based AI system, is joining the fray, pushing the boundaries of conversational AI. Bing AI stands out by integrating internet search into its chat-based interface, expanding its potential utility.
But the future of AI isn’t limited to text generation. Tools like MidJourney and Dall-E are transforming image generation, turning simple prompts into stunning, realistic visuals. The advent of AgentGPT promises to revolutionise the way we achieve objectives by connecting systems and tools without human intervention.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT plugins are in development, enhancing the platform’s functionality with added features such as internet browsing. And, soon, Microsoft Co-Pilot will bring ChatGPT’s capabilities to popular software like Word and Excel, blurring the lines between AI and everyday productivity tools.
In this dynamic, interconnected future, AI will become an essential part of our lives, constantly adapting and evolving to meet our ever-changing needs. Embrace the possibilities and prepare for a world where the boundaries of human imagination and technological innovation collide.