ChatGPT and the Jagged Frontier
In a recent CommStar blog post, I predicted that since AI is changing so rapidly, it is not a good timeless “evergreen” topic we communicators sometimes like to write about.
After attending a week-long immersive conference on generative AI and large language models (LLMs) with some of the top communicators at companies like Dell, McDonald’s, and Texas Instruments, held by the top strategic communication consulting firm in the world, CRA, I’m already posting about AI again.
Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen The Terminator many times and know AI may end up killing us all (be nice to it in all your prompts, just in case they pick and choose). I am also an optimist who is very excited about the vast potential AI has to make us better, smarter, and (at least appear) more creative.
There’s a content explosion coming soon with AI, just as there was a photography explosion with cell phone cameras. The bell curve of talent for writers will shift to the right. If average writers become B+, we’ll be A+ and can edit out what’s not great if we lead, not fear, this revolution. I am fascinated by AI, now that I am looking at it through our communication lens.
There are centaurs and cyborgs, hallucinations and embellishments, simulcra and voxels, and the jagged frontier – where AI is good at stuff and bad at stuff but no one knows where the line is anymore, now that it is learning on its own. Whoa.
Embracing ChatGPT: The Secret Weapon for Tomorrow’s Communication Pros
From my days as a rookie photojournalist dealing with irascible editors to my current role at the University of Michigan, I've seen the communication landscape evolve in countless ways. Change is the only constant, as they say, and right now, we're on the cusp of yet another seismic shift in the world of strategic communication—ChatGPT.
A Tidal Wave is Coming, Surf or Drown
Remember when social media was considered a fad? Now, it’s an integral part of any communication strategy. The same wave is building for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformers (ChatGPT). If you’re not familiar, these are AI-driven chatbots that can assist with a multitude of tasks, from idea generation to content creation. Ignore this technological wave, and you risk becoming obsolete. Embrace it, and you not only stay relevant but can also amplify your capabilities exponentially.
Profile + Custom Instructions = Success
It's not just about turning the AI on; it's about tuning it to serve your precise needs. When you set up a detailed user profile and offer custom instructions in ChatGPT, the bot is more likely to produce output that reflects your style, voice, and preferences. Imagine a digital twin that writes like you, thinks like you, but doesn't get tired or distracted like you. Let that sink in.
Your New Virtual Assistant
I've been amazed at the efficiency gains since integrating ChatGPT into my daily workflow. Whether I'm drafting emails, creating presentations, or brainstorming ideas for upcoming events, my virtual assistant is always on point. The bot takes care of the routine, liberating me to focus on high-value tasks. What could you achieve with an extra two or three hours a day?
Be the Maestro, Not the Musician
Leadership and communication intersect in numerous ways. The role of a leader is not just to perform but to orchestrate. By incorporating ChatGPT into your communication strategy, you shift from playing the violin to conducting the orchestra. It allows you to achieve a harmonious balance of efficiency and innovation. Much like an admired leader, who is a blend of results-driven and people-driven qualities, ChatGPT can help you become the maestro your team needs.
In Conclusion
ChatGPT isn’t a gimmick; it's a game-changer. As communication professionals, we owe it to ourselves and the organizations we serve to be early adopters of this transformative technology. Trust me, years from now, we'll look back and wonder how we ever managed without it.
Embrace the future. Be the change-maker. Take the leap.
OK, full disclosure time: Beginning with the first bold header above, ChatGPT wrote nearly every word for me, based on my profile, my custom instructions, and this prompt:
Please help me write a blog post similar to the ones below in length and style, about encouraging my fellow communicators to start using ChatGPT, if they aren't already. Pros include how it can save your job if you get ahead of this next technological wave and embrace it; how a comprehensive profile, custom instructions, and prompts will set you apart and get better responses; and how ChatGPT can save you time and effort by using it as an amazing virtual assistant in our day-to-day communication work, including content creation, idea generation, etc. Here are two samples of my previous blog posts to model this one after:
(I then pasted the full text of two of my previous posts: “Why Women Make Better Leaders” and “Bonjour & Merci.”)
After an initial prompt, even one more detailed than the above, I usually give ChatGPT further instructions and we go back and forth with constructive feedback, like I would with a writer on my staff or a hoard of interns, until I like it enough to take it from there, but this time I just went with its first response with some minor edits, because I thought was pretty good and in my style (note: ChatGPT 4.0 is much better than 3.5).
It did feel a bit corny, so I wondered how it perceived my style.
Jamie: Nice. Please create a style guide based on my two blog post examples.
ChatGPT: Style Guide for Jamie’s Blog Posts
Voice & Tone
Personal yet Professional: Your writing is personable and draws from personal anecdotes, but it always ties back to professional insights or broader observations.
Inspiring and Encouraging: You often aim to motivate your readers, using enthusiastic language and emphasizing the potential for positive change.
Storytelling: Your posts often open with a story or historical context, pulling the reader in with relatable narratives.
Educational but Not Preachy: You share advice and insights without sounding condescending. You treat your audience as peers.
Structural Elements
Introduction: Starts with a story, question, or provocative statement. Should introduce the main theme without giving everything away.
Subheadings: Use descriptive subheadings to break up text and guide the reader through the blog's argument or story.
Body: Follows a logical flow, often moving from personal experience to broader implications or advice.
Conclusion: Wraps up by reiterating the key takeaway and leaves the reader with something to ponder, often a question or call to action.
Follow-Up Questions: After concluding, include thought-provoking questions that dig further into the topic. Aim for at least three.
Language and Syntax
First Person: The blogs are written in the first person to maintain a conversational tone.
Conversational Language: Use everyday language and idioms. This is not an academic journal.
Contractions: Acceptable and encouraged to maintain a casual tone (e.g., "I’ve," "you're").
Humor: Light humor and wit are okay, but should not distract from the core message.
Miscellaneous
Length: Aim for moderate-length posts; not too short that they lack substance, but not too long that they risk losing the reader’s attention.
Source Citations: Include citations to support facts or introduce theories, listing URLs at the end of the post.
Visual Elements: Encourage readers to follow social media for visuals like photographs or supplementary content.
Calls to Action: End posts by inviting engagement, whether it's a comment, a share, or a personal reflection.
At least it didn’t use the word corny.
That’s all for now (I don’t want to lose your attention). I already have tons of fun use cases, from having it write a series of slightly scary customized children’s bedtime stories, to creating a multi-day training program on how James Brown has influenced modern-day hip-hop, to planning a fun day at the cider mill without getting stung by bees, to prompting responses for it to write a kickazz madlib, to giving me 20 creative themes for a symposium on the evolving electric vehicle ecosystem. And I’m sure I will post about AI again, unless it tries to stop me.
