What is ChatGPT and how can it help you in your everyday life?
From answering your questions to suggesting recipes and crafting captions for your selfies – ChatGPT is helping users get more hours back in their day. Here’s how.
If you haven’t yet used ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot developed by US tech company OpenAI, you’ve surely heard about it?
Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, to give it its full name, has been trained on massive amounts of data from the internet pre-2022 and is freely accessible online.
It works by generating realistic, human-like text in answer to your language prompts – all you have to do is type in your text and receive the information.
While it’s causing serious debate among educators, enthusiastic users are hailing it as an exceptional personal assistant for simplifying daily tasks..
5 ways ChatGPT can help your day
Kickstarting projects
Queensland-based productivity coach Donna McGeorge, whose job is about helping people work smarter, describes ChatGPT as a “mental Thermomix”.
“Yes, it’s only as good as the ingredients you put in it, or in this case the tasks you give it, but it can make you look like a really great cook,” Donna says.
“If you want to launch a business or write a book, but have a mental block on starting, tell ChatGPT what you’re trying to do and it will generate a full plan with subheadings or chapter outlines.”
Acing emails (and cover letters)
Need to write a difficult email to a colleague, personal letter to a friend or cover letter for a job application?
Dr Marcel Scharth from the University of Sydney Business School says simply explaining to ChatGPT what you’re trying to achieve can result in “a great starting point”.
“You can also ask it to improve on something you’ve already written,” Dr Scharth says.
Meal planning
Donna says the AI tool can help you plan out your meals for the week or provide you with creative ideas for hosting a dinner party.
“You can be specific and say you’re lactose intolerant or vegan,” Donna says.
“ChatGPT will come also up with recipes based on the ingredients you have in your fridge or pantry.
“So tell it you’ve got lamb, potato and mustard and it will provide a lovely recipe.”
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As a research tool (homework anyone?)
ChatGPT is also helpful for researching basic facts, Dr Scharth says.
“It isn’t a critical thinker, which is good because we want students to do that themselves,” he says. “But when it comes to research it’s very really beneficial.
“It can provide genuinely informative and helpful explanations on a range of topics.”
While ChatGPT is banned in schools in some Australian states, international AI and education expert, Professor George Siemens from the University of South Australia is urging teachers to embrace the technology as a valuable teaching tool.
“By embracing new technologies and learning how AI can complement teaching, we can prepare students for a future where they will be able to compete with the best and brightest,” Prof Siemens says in a report.
Holiday itineraries
Chat GPT can quickly and easily put together a holiday itinerary, whether it’s a romantic getaway or a full family affair.
“If you say to ChatGPT, I’m taking a family of four to Italy and we’re doing it on a budget and need to have Venice in there, it will spit out a plan in 10 seconds,” Donna says.
“You really only have to give it a vague idea and your time frames and it will give you a stop-by-stop itinerary that includes travel times and sights to see.”
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What are the disadvantages of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is taking vast amounts of information from across the internet and using algorithms to try and shape that into answers to your questions, and it’s not always right.
“It’s a sophisticated AI model but it’s subject to inaccuracies,” Dr Scharth says.
“It often makes things up.
“Don’t trust it blindly and make sure you do your own due diligence.”
Written by Liz McGrath.
