artificial intelligence: where to start (for beginners)
A few months ago, I panicked when I realized that we didn’t have a technology strategy. I quickly put together a digital transformation roadmap, knowing that without it, we’d be left behind given how quickly technology is moving. “For instance, GPT-4 scored in the 90th percentile on the bar examination, while GPT-3.5 managed only the 10th percentile. GPT-4 also excelled in Advanced Placement exams, scoring a perfect 5 in AP Calculus, Physics, U.S. History, Biology, and Chemistry,” wrote Ethan Mollick in Co-Intelligence.
Most technological innovations target low-skill, low-wage workers. The AI revolution, however, is different—highly compensated, knowledge workers are in the crosshairs. If you think AI is just a novelty and won’t upend society, I beg you to reconsider.
How I Used AI Today
Meeting Transcription: I used Microsoft Teams to transcribe a meeting with my analytics and AI advisors.
Summary and Action Items: Loaded the Teams transcription into ChatGPT to get a summary and action items.
Output: ChatGPT provided a summary and action items related to setting up Google Analytics and developing a digital marketing funnel.
Task Breakdown: Asked ChatGPT to act as a digital marketing mentor, breaking down each task into manageable chunks.
Presentation Preparation: Within minutes, I had a presentation ready that included everything my mentors asked for, which I successfully presented.
This process saved me $5,000 in consulting fees and hours of work. Not bad for someone with zero domain expertise in digital marketing!
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines. These machines are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions, encompassing capabilities like learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding.
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI is a subset of AI focused on creating new content. It uses algorithms to generate text, images, music, and other data, producing human-like text, creating art, composing music, and even generating code.
Current Use Cases for GenAI
Drafting Documents and Content: Generative AI has been instrumental in creating various documents, from legal agreements to company policies. For example, I used it to write and rewrite leases and operating agreements between companies. It also helped summarize long legal disclosures, saving time and improving accuracy.
Brainstorming Partner: AI serves as a valuable brainstorming partner. For instance, I used it to help map out a renovation project for new office buildings, sequencing the work and ensuring everything was planned efficiently.
Project Planning: Managing projects is more streamlined with AI. I used it to get the order of operations right on a data integration and reporting project, ensuring that tasks were completed in the correct sequence and no energy was wasted on premature steps.
Generating Code Snippets: For our development projects, AI can generate code snippets. Currently, I am using it to help write JSON for an AI chatbot through Azure, speeding up the development process and reducing errors.
Scenario Analysis: AI is great for simulating scenarios. I’ve been using it to think through the pros and cons of specific items in an operating agreement, helping me consider all possible scenarios where we might need on/off ramps for partners.
Where to Start
Books
Co-Intelligence: Living & Working with AI by Ethan Mollick. This is likely my most gifted book this year. My mom enjoyed it, and I started a book club with some of my leadership team to help us jumpstart our GenAI adoption.
Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare More Human Again by Dr. Eric Topol, MD. This primer on AI in healthcare is a must-read for C-Suite healthcare professionals.
Podcasts
Pivot: Hosted by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, Pivot provides insightful commentary on the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. The hosts analyze the week’s news, offer predictions, and provide a mix of sharp, often humorous, commentary on the rapidly evolving tech landscape. (Apple | Spotify)
Prof G: The Prof G Show, hosted by Scott Galloway, explores the intersection of business, technology, and culture. Galloway, a marketing professor at NYU Stern, shares his provocative insights on a range of topics including market trends, economic policies, and the future of work, often with guest experts. (Apple | Spotify)
The AI Daily Brief: This podcast delivers daily updates on the latest developments in artificial intelligence. It covers a wide range of topics from breakthroughs in AI research to practical applications in various industries. Each episode is brief, making it a quick and informative listen for staying up-to-date with AI news. (Apple | Spotify)
Ground Truths: This podcast focuses on the latest trends and insights in AI and data science. It often features interviews with industry leaders and experts who share their experiences and perspectives on the impact of AI across different sectors. The episodes provide a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping our world. (Apple | Spotify)
Newsletters / Blogs
One Useful Thing, written by Ethan Mollick, is a newsletter that explores practical applications of AI and other technologies in business and everyday life. Each issue provides actionable insights and tips on leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity, creativity, and problem-solving capabilities. Mollick’s approachable writing style and real-world examples make complex concepts accessible and engaging.
TLDR is a concise, daily newsletter that keeps readers up-to-date with the most important news in tech, science, and startups. It features a mix of headlines, brief summaries, and links to full articles, making it easy to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. The newsletter’s format is perfect for busy professionals who want to quickly catch up on the latest developments in the tech world.
The Deep View is a thoughtful newsletter that dives deep into the implications and applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It features detailed analyses, expert opinions, and case studies that highlight the transformative potential of AI in various industries. Subscribers can expect in-depth articles that not only inform but also provoke critical thinking about the future of technology and its impact on society.
How to Get Started
Just start playing with an LLM (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, etc.): Begin by using language models like ChatGPT or Claude. Get familiar with how they work and what they can do. You can use it for recipes, planning a vacation, summarizing a transcription (one of my new favorites), and much, much more.
Research and keep an open mind: Stay informed about AI developments and keep an open mind about its potential. Embrace the changes and opportunities it brings. For non-technical folks, I recommend starting with the resources listed above.
Remember this is the worst it will ever be: AI continually improves. What we see now is the baseline. If you scoff at GenAI outputs, learn how to prompt better and remember it will only get better from here.
Learn prompt engineering to understand better how working with AI is much like working with a human: relational.
In Sum…
You’re not going to lose your job to AI, but you’re likely to see major changes to your job based on AI (or, as most people would say, you’re likely to lose your job to someone using AI). AI will create a lot of chaos, but there is a silver lining. There is hope for a more egalitarian future…but I’m skeptical that productivity gains will be distributed equitably.
