With AI-assisted platforms taking the world by storm since late 2022, using ChatGPT has become a norm for most digital-savvy people. Even those most resistant to its development have at least heard of its name. Over the past 6 months, putting ChatGPT to use has given me practical lessons on how to best use this platform to my advantage without letting its magical powers take over me (or my ability to use my brain).
So, let’s dive into the world of ChatGPT and best practices, because trials and errors are the only way to figure out the law of the land for AI’s ever-changing nature in the 21st century.
How do I use ChatGPT? From a fan and critical user.
- #i_have_assignments_to.do
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The inception of ChatGPT has changed the lives of college students forever, leading some professors to frantically ban its use, some students making extensive use of the tool while society continues to debate over ethical issues associated with ChatGPT and struggles to properly regulate it.Â
I’ve personally moved from admittedly using ChatGPT more often than I should to regulating my own use in a self-disciplined manner. Why? Isn’t the whole point of college to train critical thinking, resourcefulness and the ability to independently make decisions? If I were to delegate all of these tasks to ChatGPT, what would it mean for my future as a professional in a vast and highly competitive job market?Â
Pondering on these questions was when I started to reflect on the trade-offs of convenience and the effortlessness of bringing assignments to the finish line upon ChatGPT’s genesis.
Over time, I’ve learned to not only moderate my usage of ChatGPT but to also use this brilliant AI tool to my advantage. I would independently finish assignments and write prompts to reflect on my thought processes, ask questions about points of confusion I still have after responsibly working on assignments. If I were to detect problems in my work after bouncing off ideas with ChatGPT, I could then come in and make quick fixes to my document before submitting for grading. This has helped me significantly in improving the quality of my work, allowing for timely deep dives into problems I encounter while finishing assignments instead of waiting a billion years to actually get feedback from instructors.
Nerdy as it sounds, this has been more than productive and effective in my college journey. And I’m grateful for ChatGPT in making my academic pursuit the more interesting and filling in gaps often left unfulfilled by the college system.
- #ask_good_questions
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I’m a firm believer that sooner or later, resumes and job descriptions will soon include keywords like artificial intelligence and essential tools like ChatGPT. Knowing of ChatGPT’s existence is one thing; understanding these tools deeply and incorporating them into your personal and professional life is a completely different skillset.Â
Since there is currently no formal training process or online courses to help people learn about the proper use of ChatGPT, a regular exposure to these AI tools, a curious mind, and the ability to quickly adapt with these technological advances would really distinguish you from other internet users. I’ve personally experimented with these platforms whenever I have a chance and learned valuable lessons on how to best exploit potential resources within ChatGPT, which comes with a smart use of different keywords and flexible ways of generating prompts.Â
These vary from one person to another, so I have no advice other than to encourage you to go and dive in on your own and cultivate personal lessons which lead to an even more robust use of AI platforms.
- #read_the_news
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Considering the nuances of applying AI technology into our daily life, I’ve often relied on multimedia platforms to help me reflect deeply on my personal relationship with ChatGPT, what it means for mankind’s future and more. In a busy world where so much of life revolves around checking the to-do lists and hitting goals and KPIs at work, it’s often very difficult to spend time sitting down and reflecting on the intricacies of AI development.
Reliable news sources would be a great place to start, where policymakers, experts in diverse fields, and journalists offer robust food for thought on AI tools’ implications. It is these exact news articles, tweets, and TikTok videos that have allowed me to develop a more critical approach to infusing AI practices into my daily life, and so can you.
- #we_don’t_know #what_we.don’t_know
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AI technologies have developed at an unprecedented rate, leaving us dumbfounded as to where these waves of development will take us, and there is no doubt such novel changes will continue to take the world by one storm after another. Keeping an open mind, developing critical thinking skills, and constantly expanding our skill sets are essential to building a good life around these crazy tech advances.Â
I’ve seen my fair share of pessimistic outlooks on various platforms, but remain fervently optimistic that with courage and the ability to look beyond what’s in front of us can allow human beings to ride these storms and use powerful AI tools as wind to sail our boat of happiness. Having endless sources of knowledge synthesized into one portal accessible at our fingertips could mean enjoying fruitful and enlightening conversations with ChatGPT, learning and constantly improving the life and mind of the digital nomad.
How about more time to leisurely drink your warm cup of tea and look out the window on a warm sunny day because ChatGPT already got you covered with a fraction of your work?
