ChatGPT: friend or foe?

Ambroży Rybicki at ARP Ideas outlines the pros and cons of using generative AI tools like ChatGPT in business

 

ChatGPT and other generative AI tools are creating a buzz. But there’s a real conflict of opinions around the technology. Some embrace its automation and some are more cautious due to security and privacy concerns as well as other limitations.

 

While generative AI can be a valuable tool if applied correctly, it should only be used as one tool in a business’s arsenal when it comes to things like automating tasks, content creation and research.

 

It certainly has its advantages, but there’s only so far AI technology like ChatGPT in its current state will get you. 

 

The advantages of generative AI

Automating everyday tasks

When it comes to making the repetitive parts of our jobs more efficient, most of us will jump at the chance of doing so. ChatGPT has already been effective when it comes to automating jobs such as triaging or responding to initial customer service queries.

 

By being integrated into CRM systems, ChatGPT is able to define the problem and provide the appropriate response before a human must get involved, resulting in quicker responses and therefore better customer retention and satisfaction rates.

 

Content generation

A very popular job that ChatGPT and other generative AI are being used for is content creation. It will likely take a human an hour or two to draft an article, longer if the author needs to carry out research first. For ChatGPT, that can take 5 minutes.

 

Getting an initial draft of content together using AI gets you some of the way towards a finished article; however, the part that can sometimes be missing is creativity and personality coming through the piece. It’s also unlikely to capture your tone.

 

Research

Research is one of those time-consuming tasks that is essential, however it can take hours to find the specific nugget of information and insight you’re looking for. Nevertheless, with ChatGPT, it just got easier. ChatGPT can be used to summarise long articles, research papers, and even books, enabling a person to instantly pull out key facts, data and information and further understand a topic much more quickly.

 

Imagine you’re heading into a meeting and need to know the top-line points from a whitepaper – plug it into ChatGPT and it can provide that for you, arming you with the information you need without you having to spend too much time reading the entire document.

 

Internal training and helpdesks

ChatGPT can assist in business applications helping to find solutions to user problems. This capability can be also used for the internal training of employees. ChatGPT is not only used for answering simple questions but it’s also able to find solutions for complex problems. The answer can contain examples, best practices and related theories. ChatGPT can also prepare exercises for trained users and help to analyse answers.

 

Translation

Despite not originally being designed for such purposes, ChatGPT has become a useful translation tool, more accurately translating longer form content than the likes of Google Translate and other free tools available online.

 

The benefit of using ChatGPT is it’s better at understanding context. For example, Google Translate usually provides a direct or literal translation which, while technically correct, may not be fully right based on the context of the text or conversation.

 

This doesn’t happen automatically, with ChatGPT, however. Instead, the user must provide the contextual nuance in order to improve the quality of any translation given. This could include asking ChatGPT to use medical terms, describing what sort of document it is, or describing the perspective of the person speaking. When done correctly, this can be hugely effective.

 

Furthermore, ChatGPT is being used to support internal communication, be that with full-time employees or consultants businesses may be working with. As companies become more global, they’re looking to hire talent from different countries or regions, as well as looking to outsourcing as an option.

 

With ChatGPT’s real-time translation capabilities, businesses can connect with every employee or contractor in their native language, helping businesses to reduce the language barrier and improve communication across the board. 

 

Where to be cautious

As with any technology, it’s important to be mindful of how you’re using it and what you’re using it for. There will always be immediate advantages however, if you don’t make yourself aware of the limitations, you may be caught out later down the line.

 

While every user will likely have a different experience, there are three predominant limitations I would advise anyone using ChatGPT or other generative AI in a business capacity take notice of.

 

Inaccuracy

Firstly, an issue many have experienced with ChatGPT recently is the technology producing factually inaccurate information. FastCompany’s global technology editor, Harry McCracken, wrote a piece earlier this year which highlighted wrong answers produced by ChatGPT. One example he included was that every time he asked ChatGPT what the first TV cartoon was, the chatbot responded with a different answer.

 

Despite ChatGPT being a great resource for building your knowledge and gathering research, it shouldn’t always be taken at face value.

 

Refinement

Secondly, although ChatGPT has proven to be very valuable for content generation and translation, I’d advise this is only treated as a first draft. While the technology will likely find all the information you need, as well as understand it in the context you provide, it’s not at a point yet where it can be 100% accurate or give any real personality or creativity to the finished product, which is often boring and uninspiring.

 

The AI tool also struggles to be concise in its answers, often coming across undecided and attempting to cover all possibilities. The resulting text tends to lack more advanced ways of expression, like irony, humour, or provocative questions.

 

The article – or whatever form of document you’re writing – will cover what you need it to, but it may not fit with the tone or style your blog, publication, or other platform usually takes. Equally, if you’re not specific enough around the context, it could be miles off.

 

Compliant copywriting should also be mentioned here. If you’re working within financial services, for example, any marketing material needs to meet the requirements of the FCA. This is something that you’re likely accustomed to checking within your organisation. However, ChatGPT won’t necessarily have the context to provide documentation that meets regulatory approval.

 

Again, ChatGPT will get you some of the way when it comes to creating the content, but it’s always wise to run anything past your compliance team.

 

Confidentiality

The cyber-security industry has expressed several concerns around the security and privacy of ChatGPT. As the technology is still relatively new and being developed all the time, it’s right to have some concerns.

 

From a business use case standpoint, I’d advise people to be wary of the content they enter into ChatGPT. For example, I would never recommend using it to translate anything deemed confidential or input any data or information specific to your business that isn’t publicly available information.

 

Future considerations

ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies will continue to evolve, learning from the data we provide them with, and becoming more effective because of it, enhancing aspects of both our personal and business life.

 

Nevertheless, before we become too reliant on the likes of ChatGPT, two important steps these technologies must undergo are becoming more ethically aware and factually accurate. We’ve already discussed the former issue earlier in this piece. In terms of the latter, we’ve seen a number of instances where AI platforms have been used to spread disinformation or offensive content on social media channels.

 

Until this can be prevented, consumers and businesses alike need to be wary around the technology.

 

While there are hesitations around how much we should allow AI to develop, it’s important that these issues are addressed so that technology like ChatGPT can be used for the positive applications it’s already starting to enable.

 

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Ambroży Rybicki is CEO and co-founder of ARP Ideas

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com