Are you on the sideline thinking about using AI tools such as ChatGPT Plus and Claude.AI? Hard stop – listen to the incredible wisdom of Seth Godin on Branding & Marketing In The Age of AI with Stephen Houraghan.
When ChatGPT was introduced on November 30, 2023, Don Tomoff and I quickly thought, “We need to understand what is happening here.” Since then, we have been stunned by the potential of this technology to assist us personally and professionally. We encourage anyone to adopt the ChatGPT Plus Pro plan for $20 per month and dedicate daily time to experimenting and getting a sense of the technology. We focus on narrowing the path to help others enter the AI-enabled world. For a quick start, see blog post dated February 14, 2024, ChatGPT Lite – How to Get Started: Introduction Part 1 of 6.
In the podcast episode linked below, Stephen asks Seth about his thoughts on the impact of AI. The image below speaks volumes. When Seth heard the question – he smiled as if to say “I was hoping you would ask this question!” For almost four minutes, Seth made compelling points that everyone should pay heed to:
“I think AI is the biggest change in our world since the invention of electricity. A bigger change than the internet.”
“If you are not using it for half an hour a day, you don’t understand.”
“Every word I put out there with my name on it [Seth Godin blog, etc.] was written by me. But if I was starting today, that would not be true.”
“What AI does today is it replaces competence… The only space left is to not be simply competent… You have to figure out how to do something that AI couldn’t do because that is the only thing worth charging for.”
“When you are doing work that could be done by AI, you should have AI do it so you can get back to the work that we need to pay you for.”
“You have helped create change. And now, change is coming after you.”
“The opportunities for agile, smart people to take advantage of AI over the next three years are enormous.”
The last point bears repeating for emphasis: “The opportunities for agile, smart people to take advantage of AI over the next three years are enormous.“
The YouTube video posted here will start at 32:18 when Stephen asks the AI question. The conversation goes to 36:00 minutes. Embrace these four minutes of learning Seth’s thoughtful and dramatic observations about the future of AI and what every professional needs to do now.
As Seth would encourage, “Go. Make a ruckus.” Please. The world needs your contribution. AI will help you create value for yourself and your ability to contribute and help others!
The work that Don and I do around the topic of Generative AI, and specifically ChatGPT Plus, has focused on the potential to improve individual performance. How can we all utilize ChatGPT to enhance performance and raise our contributions to our world and others?
Accelerate – What We Do.
Enable – What We Should Do.
Allow – What We Can’t Do.
These areas are exciting to consider as we enhance our productivity (accelerate), creativity, and thoughts. As we individually improve our understanding of Generative AI and narrow the focus, ChatGPT Plus specifically, our ability to help others accelerates. Embrace this exciting potential.
Over the past 3+ years, I have written regularly and have built an extensive resource of reflections about many topics of interest to me. The process started on June 8, 2020, when Terri (writingThe Focused Fight) and I joined Writing in Community, a six-month initiative to write a book. My initial project was to write a personal (unpublished) memoir/autobiography. What evolved for me was unimaginable – a love of regular writing, celebrating so many who have played a part in my and my family’s lives, and going in directions with my writing that has enriched my life tremendously.
What does this have to do with ChatGPT? Noting from above the highest level of individual possibility – Allow – What We Can’t Do – I used ChatGPT to summarize content for me. As an extension of my writing, gaining insight from ChatGPT ignited a new level of results that I confidently placed in the “What I can’t do” category!
My memoirs that I have completed since embarking on my writing adventure in 2020:
Published:
Chapter 32 of The Focused Fight – Heartfelt Reflections from Bill and Olivia.
Unpublished:
Personal autobiography/memoir (December 2020) – Living Life…Off The Track.
Memoir of daughter Olivia (December 2021) – Forever Changed: One Family’s Adventure with The Beautiful Game of Soccer.
Memoir of brother Alex (February 2023) – “Million Dollar Al” and Beyond.
Memoir of twin brother Don (December 2023) – Double Vision: Seeing Life Through Twin Eyes.
On June 21, 2023, I shared a blog post using ChatGPT to recap chapter 19,The Postcard Project, of The Focused Fight. The results I received back were stunning and have inspired me to ask ChatGPT to provide summaries of my writing regularly. Using my writing, ChatGPT summarizes and articulates the meaning better than I could ever do myself! I have a new personal assistant to assist my writing efforts!
To be shared separately, I used ChatGPT to provide me a “Book Back Cover Blurb” in the document gifted to my brothers Alex and Don.
Summary of Blog Post Highlights (assist to ChatGPT)
After I have written about a topic of interest, I often enjoy prompting ChatGPT to provide a TL;DR summary and/or a recap of highlights. I have found ChatGPT often recaps my words and articulates my thoughts better than I can! The highlights of the full blog post:
Stay Calm: Don’t succumb to the fear and hysteria often portrayed by mainstream media. Embrace change with a calm and open mind.
Adopt a Possibility Mindset: Be optimistic about AI’s potential benefits. Rather than fearing the unknown, explore new technology’s possibilities.
Limit Exposure to Alarmist Media: Alarmist narratives often overemphasize the risks of AI. Make an effort to seek balanced, well-researched information.
Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Approach AI with curiosity and an eagerness to learn. Don’t dismiss it outright due to misconceptions or biases.
Test Out Technology: Engage with AI in low-risk situations to gain firsthand experience. Ignoring AI might pose a higher risk in the long run.
Leverage, Don’t Overly Rely on AI: While AI can be highly beneficial, don’t become too dependent on it. Strive for a balanced use of technology.
Continuous Learning and Development: By remaining curious and open-minded, you can continually develop personally and professionally. AI offers an array of opportunities for learning and growth.
Make Informed Decisions: By engaging with AI, you can make educated decisions about its utility. This will allow you to benefit from the technology while mitigating the potential risks of choosing to ignore the tools.
Contribute Positively: A measured, intentional approach to AI can enable you to make significant contributions to society and improve your own life.
Full Blog Post
I recently read a blog post by Ted Lamade, published by Collaborative Fund, titledFear of Acorns.
Starting with a story about the fable of Chicken Little, Lamade turns the focus to the modern-day introduction of AI and the fact that there is no shortage of fear that “the sky is falling” and that AI is leading us down a dangerous path. Is the fear warranted?
The fear is probably not warranted. Ask the TwinzTalk duo, and Don and I will enthusiastically share the incredible potential for good that we believe AI will bring to people who are calm, curious, and asking the question, “How can these AI tools be used to help?”
While AI is the “latest” technology, it is easy to find plenty of mainstream media coverage broadcasting the danger to our future lives; creating fear is a common quick reaction that scares people and supports a desire to stay with the status quo in their life. On an individual level, we must start by analyzing our responses and considering, “Am I taking a deliberate, thoughtful approach to my decisions, or am I part of the problem by taking a negative stand without doing any research on my own?”
Below, I will share thoughts from the article and tips that Don and I recommend as a more rational and thoughtful approach to assessing new technologies, including our approach to using ChatGPT AI.
“…an irrational amount of fear is a problem because it makes us susceptible to the “Foxy Loxy’s” of the world. Those who aim to leverage fear for personal gain. Those who sell advice, products, and services that feed into the fear. Those who want it to magnify it at every turn. The media is the obvious culprit, but there are countless others.”
“This past weekend alone, there were more than two dozen articles in the various papers I read highlighting the risks surrounding AI, how it is going to dismantle the American workforce, cause the wealth gap to widen even further, destabilize the economy, and even lead to nuclear holocaust.”
“For something that is so confusing and complicated, the answer is likely relatively simple. For industries less dependent on human behavior, AI will likely be a highly beneficial development. However, for those more dependent on us and our whims, caution is likely warranted.
This said, the majority of industries will unsurprisingly fall somewhere in the middle, which means they will be better off if they find a way to leverage but not rely too heavily on these new technologies.”
The article is thought-provoking and should encourage anyone to “take a deeper look” and study the possibilities of AI before dismissing the technology outright. The riskiest decision may be “I don’t need this,” and to proceed with your life’s routine. The approach that Don and I have used throughout our careers and are currently using around adopting ChatGPT and other AI technologies rapidly showing up in the world is:
Stay calm.
Carry a mindset of possibility. Be optimistic.
Do not watch or limit exposure to mainstream media, which brings alarmist news or the latest catastrophe to our living rooms.
Be curious and not judgemental. Ask yourself, “What might I be missing?” Read widely and study how tools are being used.
Choose to test out technology with the lowest risk proposition. Remember, choosing to ignore or do nothing may be an expensive choice in the longer run. By choosing low-risk ways to touch technology, you are gaining firsthand experience and are able to make a more educated decision for yourself as to whether to use it or not. By choosing low-risk, a mistake does not eliminate you from playing the game.
A calmer, optimistic mindset and a more intentional approach toward technology will open up a surprising world of possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally. Be curious and chip away every day. You will develop yourself and become a more substantial contributor to your world and those who surround you!
