A robot consults the GPS screenAre you as fascinated by the discussion about Artificial Intelligence (AI) as I am? If so, you’ll like the latest roundup of links you might have missed. These are all taken from posts I’ve shared on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

First, the discussion about its uses and misuses:

  • Asking if AI writing tools are good or bad is like “asking if the internet itself is good or bad,” says Ann Handley. If you can’t write better than a robot, work on that. If you can, use what the robots don’t have, like your insights and experiences.
  • Focus on how AI can help ease your workload and streamline boring tasks, and “bring the best aspects of tools like ChatGPT to better serve your clients.” Via SoloPR.
  • Thinking about addressing employee concerns about AI? Adeta Gayah of Visit Orlando urges communicators to see AI as something that can stimulate creativity and streamline workflow. By Sean Devlin for Ragan Communications.
  • Here’s an interesting look at a professor whose students must learn to use AI, with attention to checking facts and documenting the tools they use. Via Josh Bernoff.
  • How to use AI to do practical stuff, including an overview of each system, with a reminder that “AI lies continuously and well.” Via Ethan Mollick, the professor Josh mentions.

The key to better results from AI? Writing better prompts. Here’s some advice specific to prompts:

  • Laura Starita takes a look for The Content Strategist. She suggests specific, detailed and instructive prompts that include the output you want to see, the audience, keywords and possibly source material.
  • “Think of ChatGPT is a really good virtual assistant — one who doesn’t sleep, doesn’t need to be paid and has read just about every book in the world (up until 2021),” says Ann Wylie. She has five prompts to use, like asking AI to “rewrite this in plain language.”
  • “Think of generative #AI tools as calculators. They can do a lot of work for you, but ultimately the human being still must give it the right inputs to work with.” Allison Carter has tips to write better prompts, including keep learning.
  • Muckrack has advice, like “Be specific and provide context,” plus suggests words to get you started and prompts for better writing.
  • With all the focus on #AI prompts, the aforementioned Ethan Mollick says it will get you surprisingly far to start with “I want to write a novel [or whatever your task], what do you need to know to help me?” Also you should spend more time being interactive. Ask for something. Ask AI to adjust.

If all this talk about AI gets you down, here’s a break for your health and happiness:

  • “If you don’t prioritize your own happiness and health and actively take these breaks, your day will always fill up with work.” Aim for work-life separation, not work-life balance, says Trey Ditto in this classic from 2022 for Ragan Communications.

What other helpful, interesting or surprising posts have you found online? Please share in the comments or drop me a note.

Image: A robot being guided by GPS (prompts), ready to direct the driver (you), created with AI’s DALL-E.

Related reading:
Links from March, with tips for newsletters, print publications and word choices
Links from February, all about writing, editing and proofreading
Links from January, with guidelines for accessibility, pronouns and inclusion