Expanding options in AI

Lately, it seems, all we hear about is AI, or Artificial Intelligence. It’s as if AI is an entirely new business tool. In fact, machine learning, a building block to Generative AI such as the now familiar ChatGPT, has been around since 1958 with the advent of the neural network, designed to teach computers to process data similar to the human brain.

The newest developments in ChatGPT, Google Bard, and other AI platforms have expanded access to AI among the general public by generating text content in response to simple prompts. AI’s capacity extends to improving sentences, such as this response from Google Bard to a simple prompt: “Please edit the paragraph above for clarity, for example by breaking a lengthy sentence into two, or changing the word order to make the sentence more concise.”

There is far more potential. ChatGPT, Google BARD, and Microsoft Bing AI can now, or will soon be able to create or accept images, sound, and voice. Microsoft is slowly releasing Copilot, based on ChatGPT, for Office 365, Power Platform, and other Microsoft environments. Copilot will have the capacity to create presentations, draft response emails, write a proposal, or even design a custom-built application to automate data processing.

Considerations for AI use

To benefit from AI, organizations and your staff will need to know how to use it, decide which tool is right for the job, and understand your responsibility to vet information for accuracy. It’s important to know and understand the data sources used by each system, and evaluate their reliability. Some securely use internal sources of data, while others use information from the internet to generate responses to user prompts. In this fast-growing environment built on continually evolving platforms, we need to be knowledgeable about the mix of recent and older data from multiple sources across the internet.

As you begin to use AI in your business, or your everyday life, carefully consider:

• The sensitivity of the data you plan to enter into the system. Seek consultation as needed.
• The language in your question. New wording may yield a clearer or more relevant response.
• The performance of different AI systems. If needed, re-enter the result to your request and ask to refine and strengthen the initial response. Compare results across systems to see what works best for you.

AI has many capabilities that can improve performance in varied work settings, including:

• Generate software
• Create excel formulas
• Suggest policy language. Consult OpenAI usage policies.
• Foster ideas, i.e. for a blog.
• Draft emails.
• Retrieve samples of company logos.
• Design logos and other images.
• Create websites.

Wrapping up

Using AI can save time and spark new ideas, and may further your business model. It can help you respond to immediate needs while providing intriguing food for thought, as in this response to a query to re-write this blog in the voice of Stephen King:

“They [AI platforms] hold up a mirror to our thoughts, rewriting our sentences, sharpening our ideas. They’re not just machines; they’re skilled craftsmen, shaping and molding our prompts into intricate designs of text. A mesmerizing dance of man and machine, each move, each step leading us further into the grand ballroom of the future.”

For more information on how Insource can help your organization with AI, email us at insource@insourceservices.com or call 781-235-1490.