Mastering ChatGPT: your ultimate AI wingman

We all have been flirting and playing with it for a few months. Here's what you need to know and what I learned to get the most out of it. 

First and foremost. ChatGPT is more than just an assistant; it's your wingman. However, notice that getting the right answer totally depends on asking the right questions (or prompts). 

Second, your strategic input and thinking matter and define the quality of the output. In other words, it's me who has the brains and does all the strategic work; it's ChatGPT who does the majority of the writing and or proofreading. 

Why it matters: the value of ChatGPT in content creation

It's good to know how to use ChatGPT and AI for content as intended and to its full potential. ChatGPT is not an assistant to do all of your dirty work. It’s a co-pilot; it's your wingman to help you do better. 

Let's dive into the three keys to unlock ChatGPT's potential and use it as intended.

1. Understand ChatGPT capabilities and pitfalls
2. Chat with ChatGPT
3. Know when to use it and when not

Lastly, how I use it and why upgrading to the paid version ChatGPT-4 is worth the fee, especially for proofreading my content (the time of writing is January 2024).

1. Understanding ChatGPT capabilities and its lack of new insights or strategies

By now, we all know that ChatGPT is a generative AI. In short, it’s a language model with a chat-like interface that works based on probabilities. This means ChatGPT doesn’t give you genuinely new insights, strategies, or ideas. How generative AI works

The best part of generative AI is that it has no bias, judgments, or view of its own. ChatGPT can help you by giving rational arguments. Together, you can sharpen your thinking, broaden your mind, and come up with a different approach.

It’s a great sparring partner; it’s still you who has the brains and has to guide ChatGPT to get the desired output.

2. The art of effective communication: chat with ChatGPT

Bossing around ChatGPT doesn’t get you anywhere. As said, it’s you who’s in the driver's seat. Chatting with ChatGPT is where the magic is created. Notice that it’s already in its name.

That’s why you should say ‘hi’, ‘thank you’, and ‘please’ to ChatGPT. It’s not that AI cares; it triggers your mindset on how your brain works and how to get the most out of ChatGPT. Starting the conversation is for you, not for ChatGPT.

3. When to use ChatGPT and when not

Understanding the dark aspects makes you thrive in your job. Know when to use it and when not.

A few of the downfalls and weak points are copyright, the confidentiality of your information entered in ChatGPT, data privacy concerns, and giving false information. 

We’ve seen what happens when your lawyer uses ChatGPT to prepare a court filing to sue an airline. It did not go well.

My strategy:  how I use ChatGPT as a wingman and for proofreading

Below is how I use ChatGPT and what works for me. AI is my wingman; we work together. 

• This is what I love most about ChatGPT. I ask for alternative words, synonyms, translations, or different ways of writing something. As a non-native English writer, I sometimes struggle with the right words or ways of saying things. Use simple prompts like ‘hi, what’s a different way of saying …’ or ‘what’s a synonym for…’
   
• ChatGPT is also great for inspiration if you’re stuck for words. Bluntly prompt what you want to know, followed by a ‘can you rewrite this in an informal tone of voice’. The output is the input for your writing.  
   
• Absolutely great for proofreading and editing. Honestly, I used to prefer to do this myself until I had ChatGPT-4 and its updates and new features, especially with the Custom Instructions, which are a huge game changer. Being a seasoned writer, proofreading used to be quite an easy and fun job, especially if I’d already used ChatGPT-3.5 to assist me in finding the right words and phrases. However, now I upgraded to the new and updated paid version ChatGPT-4, its proofreading really improves the structure and writing in the tiniest details. It's worth the effort. 

When you play around with ChatGPT, please keep in mind that everything you upload is used and shared by AI; there's no exclusivity or confidentiality. 

Final words: embrace AI while staying grounded

All that being said, ChatGPT is fun. And nothing short of amazing. We all know that and have experienced that. 

Those who rise to the top and excel are the ones who keep the bigger picture in mind, use ChatGPT as a wingman, and are aware of when not to use ChatGPT. 

Further reading and sources

• When do you need human writing, and when AI? AI isn't the magic answer to your content problem; the pros and cons, and when to add a real writer
• How to start with AI for companies. Spoiler alert: new processes, train your people to innovate, and get your leadership on board
• AI and content at scale: why more isn't always better. Read this first, debunking the AI and AI automation magic wand myth with 1 strong argument
• How to use ChatGPT to create content: defining your brand voice (December 2023 update). Tips from a content strategist to get your tone of voice for AI
• Can you replace your adored content team with AI now? 3 Things to know with AI-generated content on steroids
  Sources

Credits where credits are due. I'm inspired by ‘Beyond the hype on ChatGPT’ by WARC. That's my go-to source for insights, research, best practices, and cases. Yes, it's a paid subscription; for me, absolutely worth it. If you're a freebie, subscribe to their newsletter and podcast to get some content for free. 

Learn how generative AI works by Google Cloud Skill Boost. This is a dummy-proof explanation of why and how ChatGPT does what it does.  Also, this ‘What ChatGPT is doing and why does it work’ is a great read. 

Disclaimer
The first version of this page was published in June 2023. Updated in October 2023, with my experience with ChatGPT-4, the paid version. And refreshed in January 2024. Keep on learning.