I've noticed something interesting. Using AI has actually helped me improve my grammar and incorporate things I'd usually avoid, like semicolons and em dashes. I spend a lot of time telling AI not to use them because they often make writing look too formal and AI-generated. But now that I think about it, there are plenty of places where I should use them; in a way, AI has been training me to be a better writer. See? I used a semicolon.
As far as using AI to do my writing for me, I refuse to do that. I think the brain is a muscle like anything else, and it needs to be exercised. What I do is dictate in my voice to the AI what I want to say, and then I use it to clean up my spelling, grammar, capitalization, and little things like that.
Depending on my target reader, sometimes I'll tell it to make my message sound more formal. Sometimes, if I have to write a polite email and I'm angry (I'm talking to you, Verizon), I'll have the AI clean it up to make it sound more professional or nicer, but that's rare.
Microsoft and other companies seem to be taking an AI-first approach where they want you to use AI to do the writing for you. No thanks. It's like using AI to write code. I only let it write code for me when I already know how to do it and just don't want to waste time typing it out or looking up syntax. For example, if I need a loop that runs through a table and processes each record, I already know how to write that in my sleep, but AI can spit it out much faster.
When it comes to writing, though, I always speak in my own voice first. AI is just a tool to clean things up. Don't get lazy and have AI do your work for you. I can spot AI-generated content immediately just by the way it's written. Just look for "dive into" or "delve into." AI loves using those phrases.
Will AI get better over time? Probably, especially once it becomes more attuned to personal voices. But that's still at least a couple years away before it can fully clone someone's mannerisms and style.
Which AI are you dictating to?
I have used ChatGPT to give me a hint how to do something with code that isn't clear to me at first. Then I clean it up to my style.
After that, I look into my code for snippets to copy if needed again. That helps later when snippets are similar in style.
Well, it all depends. I use ChatGPT a lot. I shell out the big bucks ($20/mo) for the paid version. If I'm writing on the website here, I have the OpenAI API built in. I made a button so I can just voice dictate directly into a text box here on the website, click the button, and it just checks it for spelling and grammar. Of course, I built the API into my Access database as well. But I've got different things for that, like I can make something sound a little more customer service-oriented or whatever different bots I decide I want to use (made a Klingon one - fun). But as far as coding goes, if I want code written for me, I'll use GPT's web interface with Canvas.
Thomas Gonder
@Reply 15 months ago
I'm sorry I asked, unless you make a video showing how it all works. Now that would be cool.
For example, in my database, I made another table that has a list of what I call bots. It's how I want the API to respond. So I've got a just spelling and grammar only bot, where the instructions are just change the spelling and grammar punctuation. Don't touch my wording at all. Then I have another one that's making it a little more formal. I have some goofy ones, like make it sound like I'm from Star Trek, that kind of stuff. The Klingon one.
Thomas Gonder
@Reply 15 months ago
I'll check the video. Where can we hear the Klingon one?
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