AI as a tool for daily tasks
Blogpost by Frank van der Velde - Student Council AI4Students
14 Dec 2023 16:00 | HvA Expertisecentrum Applied Artificial IntelligenceI often speak with people around me who say they don't use ChatGPT, which is completely understandable since not everyone is familiar with this software yet or has a clear idea of what you can do with it. For me, since I started using it, it quickly became indispensable. I use it for a variety of different tasks, some of which I'd like to highlight that people might not have thought of.
Software Development
The first thing I used ChatGPT for was for my work and studies. As a software developer, using ChatGPT helps me by quickly generating repetitive code. This is the simple code that you often need to make over and over again. It also assists in debugging code. When debugging, you're looking for errors in your code. What makes it useful is that you can become blind to simple and obvious mistakes after you've been looking at the same code for so long. ChatGPT can then quickly identify simple mistakes that you might overlook. Finally, it's useful for asking advice on how things could be improved, as ChatGPT is often familiar with best practices and can give good advice. I can then use this to gain new insights to adjust my code myself. It's important to make conscious choices about what you do or don't implement.
Creating and Modifying Recipes
A completely different application that I quickly and frequently started using is creating recipes from scratch or figuring out what ingredients could be possible additions to existing dishes. For instance, I've often asked to create a recipe based on a certain cuisine and a specific wish, like chicken. Then, it's very easy to ask for suggestions for things like vegetables, so you can achieve the desired nutritional value this is especially helpful for me because I’m not the most knowledgeable about which ingredients go well together.
Studying, Summarizing, Note-Taking
In terms of studying, I use it in many different ways. ChatGPT is very good at explaining complex topics in various ways until you find a method that clicks and helps you understand. An example of one of these subjects is math. I also often use it to digitize my notes after my Portuguese classes. I quickly type or dictate the new words and rules I've learned into the chat without structure. Then, I ask to correct any errors and neatly format the input under verbs, adjectives, nouns, and rules. It's also easy to ask ChatGPT to expand each verb by adding each conjugation. And since ChatGPT 4, this can be done even faster by using a photo of my notes (when my handwriting is having a good day).
Brainstorming and Creativity
Although AI models are not necessarily known for their creativity and innovation, it's still a good tool to boost your own creativity. When I have a writing assignment for school, I usually first present the assignment to ChatGPT and give the first rough ideas I immediately had. Then, I ask ChatGPT to help brainstorm by further developing the ideas and making some suggestions in other directions. This way, I can quickly validate my ideas to see if I'm thinking in the right direction, and discover other potential directions that I didn’t instantly think off. With the latest version of ChatGPT 4, you can even generate images based on text. The images don't always follow the descriptions closely. But it often leads to fun images that can serve as nice inspiration.
Alternative to Googling
Almost everyone knows about googling for information, but sometimes it falls short. For example, when I'm looking for an old movie that I only vaguely remember, Google searches don't work with a large blob of vague details. In these cases, ChatGPT or another search engine that uses AI does work. You can just write a paragraph with everything you remember about the movie. This way, you often get an answer or are pointed in the right direction. This works especially well for somewhat other movies where there is already a lot more information.
In Summary
The things above are just a few examples of how I use ChatGPT in daily life, and besides these things, there are so many other ways to benefit from this useful new software. It certainly seems worth it for everyone to try it and think for themselves how ChatGPT can help with everyday tasks. For me, ChatGPT is an extremely handy tool that I'd rather not be without.