Have you started testing out AI chatbots yet (like ChatGPT or Bing AI)? At Linden Digital Marketing, we are focused on results and innovation, so we are excited about implementing AI where it makes sense in our process to make the team more efficient.
We will write more blogs about AI chatbots in the future, but we’re starting with the basics: what is an AI chatbot and how can it help you?
How to Get Started with AI Chatbots
For most, you need to sign up and create an account. For ChatGPT (created by OpenAI), you can create a free account at https://chat.openai.com/.
What Are AI Chatbots?
AI chatbots are computer programs that rely on artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and machine learning. An AI chatbot is essentially a chatbot that is designed to converse with users in natural language. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) is trained on an enormous dataset of text from the internet, allowing it to understand and generate human-like responses to a wide range of questions. This blog post does a great job of explaining how language models work at a high level.
Increasing Productivity
So, how can AI chatbots help you increase productivity and efficiency at work? In many ways, AI chatbots can act as virtual assistants/interns. The AI can perform tasks such as drafting emails, generating code, brainstorming strategies for certain audiences, and finding the right equation for Excel.
There are four key ways that AI chatbots can help improve your everyday processes: information retrieval, task management, problem solving, and communication.
Information Retrieval
AI chatbots can quickly and easily find information on a wide range of topics, from industry news to specific data points. This can save you time and effort in researching and gathering information for your work; rather than having to sift through endless pages of search results, users can simply ask an AI chatbot a question and receive an immediate response. Whether you need to find information for a work project or just want to know the answer to a random question, AI chatbots can provide the information you need quickly and efficiently. It can even retrieve information from within a designated area.
Task Management
AI chatbots can assist with managing tasks and to-do lists, setting reminders, and scheduling appointments. This can help you stay organized and on track with your work, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.
Problem Solving
AI chatbots can provide insights and recommendations for problem-solving, drawing from its vast knowledge base to suggest solutions for a range of work-related challenges.
Communication
AI chatbots can assist with communication tasks such as drafting emails, writing copy for your social post, or even writing a blog. It can also help individuals navigate difficult conversations or provide suggestions for how to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients.
Limitations
Of course, like any tool, AI chatbots have limitations. It’s important to understand these limitations in order to make informed decisions about when and how to use AI chatbots.
Inaccurate or Irrelevant Information
A very important limitation to remember is that AI may not always provide the most accurate or relevant information. Occasionally, AI even “hallucinates” and provides an answer that is completely false and not based in fact. Because of this, it’s important to fact check. If you are an expert in the subject, you may already know if it is providing the correct answer or not. But when you are relying on AI chatbots to be your information source, it’s necessary to do some of your own research to confirm that it is accurate.
Creativity, Emotional Intelligence, and Physical Tasks
Sometimes you just need a human. While an AI chatbot is an incredibly powerful tool for a wide range of tasks, there are certain complex tasks that would still require human intervention. For example, tasks that involve imagination and artistry, empathy and compassion, or physical dexterity are not well-suited for AI.
Using AI Chatbot Answers Commercially
Last but not least, different rules and regulations need to be considered. The U.S. Copyright Office ruled that copyright does not protect non-human authorship, meaning that content created by AI cannot be copyrighted. (You can read more about this decision in the US Copyright Office’s letter regarding a comic “Zarya of the Dawn,” which included original work alongside work produced by AI).
Where to Start with AI Chatbots?
If you feel like you don’t know where to start, here are a few suggestions for you:
- Test out different questions you know the answer to and continue to increase the complexity of your questions
- Try using it to do each of your day-to-day tasks at work and see which ones it can help you save time with
- Ask it to help you brainstorm or create a plan for an upcoming project
AI Chatbots are powerful tools that have the potential to increase productivity for you and your team. By providing quick and efficient access to information, assisting with scheduling and organization, and acting as a virtual assistant, an AI chatbot can help people save time and focus on the tasks that matter most. While it may not be a perfect solution for every challenge, it is certainly a valuable tool to have in your arsenal.
Keep an eye out for our next blog about AI chatbots, and if you’re curious about learning more now, check out this podcast on Spotify: Why You (and Your Company) Need To Experiment with ChatGPT Now by HBR Idea Cast.