The big idea and why it matters: Navigating the complexities of AI platforms can be challenging, but mastering these tools can significantly enhance productivity and creativity. By sharing my (painful) journey and experiences, I aim to provide insights and inspiration for leveraging AI to streamline tasks and uncover new opportunities.
“Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.” –Microsoft Copilot, in response to my question, “What’s a witty quote about AI?”
How to train your drAIgon
The above pun may be a stretch (sorry), but – picking up where we left off last time – one overarching goal I had in mind for this miniseries was to learn how to “train AI” to do things that may be useful, such as writing in my style. As is often the case when getting started with any new technology, just figuring out where to begin has not been without a degree of frustration, but we’re going to get through this, one obstacle at a time. Here we go!
I mentioned that I stumbled upon MS Copilot in my browser but didn’t know how to interact with AI beyond that. Similarly, I also discovered that ChatGPT is available as an add-in/sidebar within Microsoft Word. Like the Copilot sidebar, I thought this could be pretty convenient; however (now moving into some of my above-cited frustration), this “ChatGPT” may not be the same as the standard version I hear about.
When I asked it questions, it kept putting the answers into the Word document instead of the sidebar. And when I asked that sidebar version of ChatGPT how I could train it on my writing style, it spat out a 6-step process, the second step of which was to “choose a platform.” Seriously. The exact details of that step were to:
“Identify the platform or service where you want to submit your samples. This could be a specific website, an email address, or a dedicated submission form provided by the developers of ChatGPT.”
Extremely unhelpful. It may as well have answered my “How do I train you?” question with “Figure it out for yourself, human.”
Powering through
Again – I’ll give the benefit of the doubt that maybe this Word-embedded version of ChatGPT isn’t the real thing and perhaps geared more toward writing assistance. Which begs the question: if it’s designed for writing assistance, shouldn’t it be even easier to train it on my writing style? But I digress…
Thus far into my AI-xploration, four of the most prominent AI platforms seem to be ChatGPT (Open AI), Copilot (Microsoft), Gemini (Google), and Meta AI (Meta, obviously 😊). My goal was to compare these to understand the similarities and differences between them, but two of them – namely ChatGPT and Gemini – have been blocked by our cyber team. Thus, I can’t give you the full story on ChatGPT, whether the Word sidebar is a watered-down version, or whether the “real” ChatGPT is as annoying. If you’d like to check them out, simply Google “Chat GPT” or “Gemini AI” to find them online. THAT overcomes the first major hurdle on this quest: determining where the AI access points are. Maybe I’m just a tech dinosaur at this point, but all of the articles I’ve come across assumed that the audience could already find ChatGPT or other AI platforms, so I’ve felt like they are skipping ahead. It’s like telling you how to code a website without first teaching you where you enter the code. I now know that basic versions of these AI platforms are easy to find on the web. And now that you have the above names as examples, you can Google them.
These AI interfaces may also come in App format. For instance, I just found the Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT apps in the Google Play Store and downloaded them to my phone (If you’re an Apple user, you’d use the App Store). I noticed some others in this Top 10 list in the Play Store, as well (but I think three is enough for me at this point, considering I don’t even know what I will use them for). Gemini forced me to replace my standard Google Assistant, but the others seem like regular apps.
Training wheels
Sticking with what I can access from my computer, I’ve gone to the websites for Meta AI and Copilot (instead of using the browser sidebar I previously covered, but they do seem to be the same). I was already signed into Copliot from the Edge browser, so that was easy. Meta AI, on the other hand, forced me to log in using Facebook or Instagram credentials so I don’t have to retrain it each time I access the site.
Then I asked each AI Bot, “Can I train you to write like me?” Finally, I received reasonable instructions on sharing writing samples and other guidelines. Once I copied and pasted text from past Alt Blend editions into each platform, they shared what they were “thinking” each step of the way. Meta AI tended to be in more bulleted lists, while Copilot conveyed the information in sentences. For example:
Meta AI:
Overall, your writing style is engaging, informative, and effective in conveying complex financial concepts to a non-technical audience.
I’ve learned a great deal about your writing style, tone, and language preferences. If you’re ready, I’d be happy to help you with writing tasks, such as:
- Generating content on specific financial topics
- Editing and refining existing content
- Providing suggestions for improving clarity and readability
Let me know how I can assist you!
Copilot:
Thank you for sharing this final piece! Your writing continues to be detailed, informative, and engaging, with a mix of personal anecdotes, humor, and clear explanations of complex financial concepts.
I’ll keep these elements in mind to better match your writing style. If you have any specific topics you’d like me to write about in this style, just let me know! 😊
Is there a particular subject or theme you’d like me to tackle next?
Road Test
Now, with minimally trained AI helpers on our side, let’s see how they end this blog post for us. I will enter the following overview for context, and then paste in what I’ve written so far. I’m pretty excited to see how this turns out, but I’d probably better temper my expectations. Here goes:
Given your understanding of my writing style, please suggest a couple of paragraphs to end the following blog post. Note that the areas I’m planning to cover in the next edition include ways we can use AI to help with some of our tasks, now that we now how to access it. Here is what I’ve written so far:
From Meta AI
Here are two possible concluding paragraphs for your blog post:
As I continue to explore the capabilities of AI platforms like Meta AI and Copilot, I’m excited to dive deeper into the possibilities of training them to assist with tasks like writing and research. In the next edition of Alt Blend, I’ll share my experiences with using AI to generate content, provide insights, and streamline tasks. From automating routine tasks to uncovering new investment opportunities, I’m eager to explore the potential benefits of AI in our work.
For now, I’m pleased to have overcome the initial hurdles of accessing and understanding the basics of AI platforms. It’s clear that AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, and I believe it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve. By sharing my journey and experiences with AI, I hope to provide valuable insights and inspiration for our readers to explore the possibilities of AI in their own work. Until next time, thanks for joining me on this AI adventure!
From Copilot
Here’s a couple of paragraphs to wrap up your blog post:
As we continue this journey into the world of AI, it’s clear that the learning curve can be steep, but the potential benefits are significant. With the right approach, we can harness these tools to enhance our productivity and creativity. In the next edition, we’ll delve into specific ways we can leverage AI to assist with our tasks, now that we know how to access and interact with these platforms. From automating mundane tasks to generating insightful content, the possibilities are vast and exciting.
Stay tuned as we explore practical applications and share tips on integrating AI into our workflows. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or a reluctant adopter, there’s something to gain from understanding and utilizing these powerful tools. Until next time, keep experimenting, stay curious, and remember – the future is what we make of it, one AI interaction at a time.
I hope this aligns with your style and provides a fitting conclusion to your post! If you need any adjustments or further assistance, just let me know. 😊
Copilot strikes me as the better output (style, tone, and “humanness”), but they both do a pretty good job of conveying what I asked of them, so I won’t waste your time with a 5th concluding paragraph.
Until next time, this is the end of alt.Blend.
Thanks for reading,
Steve
