Two critical aspects of AI that you likely aren’t aware of and that will be a tremendous help

You undoubtedly feel that the swamp is swamped with chatter about artificial intelligence, aka AI, GenAI, and LLMs.

The critters of the swamp are tired of hearing about AI

Everything from articles to podcasts, I’m guilty of adding my fair share to the cacophony. But let’s cut through the noise.

If you think you’ve had enough but haven’t yet sprung into action, guess what? You’re far from being done. The stark reality? While most professionals are clued in about the transformative power of AI, a minuscule number are wielding it as a tool for their career advancement.

I’ve been doing some digging, posing two crucial questions to folks in my network:

1. Do you grasp the monumental shift AI represents?
2. Are you adapting your career to ride this wave?

The feedback? Overwhelmingly one-sided. Most have a general awareness (close to 90%); they comprehend AI’s likely impact. But just 10% are mobilizing that understanding into action. Imagine knowing a Category 4 hurricane is barreling toward you and choosing to stay put. It’s that level of self-sabotage we’re talking about here, except GenAI is more like a Category 5 hurricane.

Let’s step back for a moment and delve into what Geoffrey Moore called the “innovation-adoption” model in his groundbreaking book, “Crossing the Chasm.” Imagine a bell curve that represents how we humans embrace change. You’ve got the “innovators” (2.5%) and “early adopters” (13.5%) at the forefront. This elite 16% mirrors the statistics from my informal survey. Then come the “early majority” and “late majority,” each at 34%, followed by the laggards at 16%. Regarding AI, folks, we’re in the early adopter stage. Trust me, you don’t want to be left behind being covered in dust with the laggards.

Most of us have lived through what felt like tectonic shifts — the Personal computer, the emergence of the internet, the mobile device revolution, Cloud computing, and digital transformation.

But please listen up: AI is not just another change; it’s the mother of all game-changers.

GenAI is the most significant single change in the history of humanity.

Here’s the kicker — every step you take now is worth ten, maybe a hundred down the road. So, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking, and the time to act is now unless you fancy making yourself obsolete.

It would be best not to morph into an AI wizard but to become proficient in using AI to your advantage. The distinction is as crucial as it is underrated. So stop prevaricating; the AI-powered future waits for no one. Time to go from being just “AI-aware” to “AI-active.”

Here are two critical aspects of AI that you may not be aware of and that can be a tremendous help to get started:

Experiential Learning via GenAI models like ChatGPT:

Most people are under the misconception that AI is some mysterious, complex entity best left to the experts. Wrong. ChatGPT is an excellent entry point for AI exploration. It’s like learning to swim — you’ve got to dive in at some point. Here’s a suggested prompt as a beginner’s introduction, asking ChatGPT to serve as an AI tutor. This approach establishes the interaction’s purpose from the get-go and opens up a channel for direct, meaningful conversations.

First Prompt Suggestion:

“Hey, ChatGPT, I’m new to the world of AI, and I’d like you to be my guide. Please help me understand how to interact with you effectively to get the most value?”

Understanding Strategic Applications of GenAI:

Now, this is where the conversation moves from tactics to strategy. It’s about learning the nuts and bolts and understanding the global seismic shifts GenAI will bring. Here’s the catch — you don’t have to be an AI consultant to understand this. Being strategic means being future-forward and thinking about how AI could disrupt or enhance your industry, job role, or even day-to-day tasks.

Prompt Suggestion for Strategic Understanding of GenAI:

“Hey ChatGPT, I want to go beyond prompting basics and understand the strategic applications of GenAI. Can you enlighten me on how AI shapes different industries and the long-term impact it could have on society and my career as a [insert your industry or job role]?”

This prompt accomplishes a couple of key things:

1. Industry Insight: It asks the AI to offer a broad overview of how GenAI affects various sectors, from healthcare to fintech and beyond.
2. Long-Term Impact: It nudges the AI to delve into the future — how GenAI could reshape social structures, economies, and career paths.
3. Personal Career Alignment: It subtly asks the AI to tie these macro changes back to your personal career development, bridging the gap between broad knowledge and individual action.

The aim is to initiate a conversation that can be enlightening and actionable, offering a 360-degree view of GenAI’s strategic applications. This approach helps ensure that users aren’t just absorbing information but are prompted by GenAI to think and act strategically.

Takeaways:

• For the experiential learning aspect, dive in and start with a clear, directive prompt like the one above.
• On the strategic side, it’s about constantly asking, “How can AI change the game in my industry?” and making that a part of your ongoing education and conversation.

Here’s a Special Gift — turning a one-way interaction into a two-way dialogue

The “reverse prompt” is an often overlooked but crucial part of the interaction. I’m pointing to a nuanced aspect of AI engagement that most people miss. It’s not just about querying the AI; it’s about creating a feedback loop where the AI can also guide you. This turns a one-way interaction into a two-way dialogue, which is vastly more enriching.

Inquiry vs. Dialogue:

Most of us see GenAI like ChatGPT as a means to get quick answers. “I prompt, the AI responds” — end of story. But that’s like using a smartphone solely for calls and ignoring other very valuable functions. Engaging in a reverse prompt enriches the conversation and allows for a more exploratory and ‘Socratic’ interaction.

Prompt for a Prompt:

You can explicitly ask the AI to prompt you back. For example:

“ChatGPT, can you ask me questions that will help me think more deeply about AI’s role in ethical decision-making?”

The Learning Curve:

Mastering the reverse prompt is part of the GenAI learning curve. It nudges you from a passive receptor of information to an active participant in a dialogue. This fits nicely into the Future Skills Studio experiential learning model, making the interaction more hands-on and engaging.

Suggested Prompt for Understanding Reverse Prompts:

“ChatGPT, I’d like to understand the concept of reverse prompting. Please ask me questions that will help me reflect on how AI can be more interactive and collaborative in aiding decision-making processes.”

By integrating the concept of the reverse prompt in your interactions, you not only get more out of your time with the AI but also pave the way for more insightful, reflective learning experiences. It aligns closely with my inclination for skills development and transformative learning models.

About the author: Greg Twemlow, Co-Founder of Future Skills Studio, father of three, and perhaps one day a grandfather.

Greg Twemlow: Sharing what I’ve learned from 35 years as a citizen of the world, parent, corporate executive, entrepreneur, and, since 2018, CEO of Future Skills Studio, focused on experiential learning programs.