Welcome back to our blog series on the fascinating world of AI and machine learning! Today, we are diving into one of the most versatile AI tools I have come to rely on, personally and professionally: ChatGPT. As a tool I have personally vetted, ChatGPT has proven to be an indispensable assistant for a wide range of tasks. This AI powerhouse can do everything from content creation to schedule management. Let us explore what the accessible version of ChatGPT offers, the advantages of the paid version, and why it is a tool you might want to consider integrating into your daily life.

ChatGPT: The Free Version

The free version of ChatGPT is nothing short of impressive, offering a plethora of features that cater to various needs:

Content Creation: Whether you are drafting blog posts, emails, or creative stories, ChatGPT can help you get your ideas down on paper. ChatGPT is incredible, even when brainstorming or coming up with new ideas. For example, it helped me create the name of my blog and the title of a book I am writing on AI.

Reviewing and Providing Feedback: Need a second opinion on your writing? ChatGPT can review your work and offer constructive feedback. While the amount of text you can upload is limited in the free version compared to the paid version, I love having it review my writing. It will provide a list of things I should consider and even some ideas I should research that I still have to work on. I can even instruct ChatGPT to make the recommended corrections, although it likes to condense my writing, which I do not like.

Generating Schedules: Are you struggling to organize your day? ChatGPT can help create personalized schedules to keep you on track. I’ve written a post on how to use ChatGPT to create your daily schedule. I’m juggling a lot! Between work, school, writing, and having a family with their schedules, I like to have something I can copy and paste right into Word and print out so I remember something and can focus on everything I want to achieve!

Why Opt for the Paid Version?

While the free version is robust, I opted to subscribe to the paid version for specific tasks. My only complaint with the paid version is that you are limited to 40 prompts or 3 hours – I get booted daily. This could be less annoying, and I have requested to upgrade it because I use it constantly. I can sometimes continue with the free version, depending on what I do. However, I am usually working with documents that I have uploaded. In that case, I have to wait until my “timeout” ends – usually about 90 minutes. Here are some of the tasks the paid version can complete:

Up-to-date Summaries: The paid version has Internet access, making it invaluable for obtaining current news summaries or the latest information on any topic. I use it to get an “opinion” on stocks before I invest. I work with AI daily, so I like to get summaries of what is happening within the field regularly. Summaries also make it easy for me to stay on top of various legal cases involving AI or even personal cases.

For example, I was curious about a local judge for our county. I learned that he has been a judge for over 24 years. I also learned that 18 cases he adjudicated were appealed, and his decisions have never been overturned. I was even able to get a summary of each court case.

Reviewing Specific Documents: When I need to review or summarize specific documents, the paid version allows me to upload and directly reference them, streamlining the process. In the last six months, I have reviewed almost 300 research articles on AI. I find an article and speed-read it to ensure it meets my requirements and is tied to a specific topic. Once I have vetted it, I will save it as a PDF and upload it to ChatGPT. Once uploaded, I can ask precise questions about the research, which I then save in Notion, for my dissertation or other projects. ChatGPT can quickly identify the problem statement, the hypotheses, the results, findings, or conclusions of the research, and even provide a list of things the researchers should have considered but did not.

Creating Images: I love that you can prompt ChatGPT to generate vivid images. Usually, I use sources like Pixabay or Pexels to get the photos I want to use for my posts. However, in this series on AI, I had ChatGPT generate the featured image for each post. Usually, it created what I wanted on the first try! Sometimes, I have to give it feedback or more detailed instructions, but ultimately, it creates something I like and can use.

Tying It All Together

Remember, while ChatGPT is a tool I confidently use, I encourage you to explore and vet it according to your needs, following the safe usage recommendations we discussed in yesterday’s post. Whether you’re managing personal projects or looking for professional assistance, ChatGPT offers a range of solutions to make your life easier. I do a few things within ChatGPT to ensure the best results.

No fictional context. This is extremely important, especially when I am reviewing research documents. I do not want ChatGPT to “create” any hallucinations or provide fictional context. This can sometimes be problematic when using ChatGPT to review and provide feedback because it treats Scripture like a “fictional context” and recommends deleting required passages! Other then that, it does an excellent job of giving me what I want in a factual and easily vetted way.

Provide citations in APA format. For those who do not know, APA format is a publication style published by the American Psychological Association. I have had to follow this formatting style for all of my courses, so it is easy for me to use this. Even when not writing for school, I still require ChatGPT to use APA format. This lets me know what part of the text is coming from something specific, such as a research article (Watkins et al., 2021) or a textbook (Bryman, 2012).

Provide an APA reference list. In addition to the citations within the text, I want to know precisely where it pulled the information so that I can verify it myself. ChatGPT will provide a complete reference list at the end of the text. I then look up each reference individually, verifying that it is correct and documenting the correct information.

Putting Prompts Together

My prompts are long, specific, and highly detailed to ensure I get the best results. Sometimes, I will ask ChatGPT to give me different versions so that I can pick the best response or combine them in a way that works for me. I will write a blog post all about prompting and even provide some cheat sheets for you. However, in the meantime, in case you want to get started, a prompt might look like this:

Write an email to my attorney about the U.S. Supreme Court Case Rose vs. Rose, 481 U.S. 619 (1987), which is specific to veterans’ benefits and child support obligations. No fictional context. Provide citations in APA format. Provide an APA reference list.

Here is the result from ChatGPT:

Subject: Legal Strategy in Light of Rose v. Rose and Veterans’ Benefits

Dear [Attorney’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. Given our ongoing case related to veterans’ benefits and child support obligations, I have been reviewing pertinent legal precedents. I want to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court case Rose v. Rose, 481 U.S. 619 (1987) ‘s potential impact on our strategy.

As you know, Rose v. Rose dealt directly with the intersection of federal veterans’ benefits and state-enforced child support obligations, establishing that veterans’ benefits are subject to consideration as income for child support purposes. The Court held that ensuring a veteran’s child support obligations are met is of paramount concern, even when it involves benefits typically protected from garnishment (Rose v. Rose, 1987).

This ruling directly influences my case, particularly how veterans’ benefits are calculated into income for child support. The Respondent’s position is contrary to the interpretation and application of this precedent, especially regarding the portion of veterans’ benefits considered available for child support payments.

Please explain how Rose v. Rose might be leveraged in my favor. Additionally, are there recent legal developments or similar cases that have built upon or diverged from this ruling that I should be aware of?

Understanding the nuances of how veterans’ benefits are treated in the context of child support obligations will be crucial for our strategy moving forward. Your expertise and guidance on navigating these legal waters, particularly in light of the Rose v. Rose precedent, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your advice and recommendations.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

APA Reference List

Rose v. Rose, 481 U.S. 619 (1987).

Discovering New Uses

Every day, I find new ways to leverage ChatGPT, from brainstorming ideas and simplifying complex concepts to getting recommendations for books and movies. Its ability to adapt to various contexts and provide insightful responses surprises me. Furthermore, with ongoing updates and improvements, there is always something new to discover.

ChatGPT has become my daily companion, offering a blend of creativity, efficiency, and intelligence that’s hard to find elsewhere. Whether using the free version or taking advantage of the paid features for more specific needs, ChatGPT stands ready to assist with various tasks. As we continue exploring AI tools in this series, remember that the goal is to find ways to enhance our lives and work, making the most of what these incredible technologies offer.

Happy exploring, and here is to make every day more manageable with the help of AI!