As I have started to experiment with AI, I realize itโs not an all or nothing tool. Iโm certainly not handing over all my creative work. On the other hand, Iโd be foolish to refuse a tool that saves me time. After a summer of experimentation that had me getting to know some tools, my fall has been about figuring out which ones fit into my daily and weekly routines. Hereโs how I do it:
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐
Even from my initial experiments, the elements that I liked most about AI was its place as a second pair of eyes on my work. Whether it be for comments on tightening a piece of writing or providing a proofread, the tool can help see what I canโt when Iโm too close to a piece. Just like a human editor, I can decide what comments to accept and reject.
Brainstorming is another area where I can always use a second brain. Thinking up ideas, headlines and even social posts is a task that I could use the creativity spark.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฑ
My initial experiments with AI also revealed what didnโt work. Hallucinations are real. When I tried to get AI to update my contact spreadsheets, it made up over half of the names. When I had it write a journalistic article, it wasnโt even something I wanted to rewrite. If you see the tool is not working, work on the prompts or bring your own brain to it.
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
As soon as I had made my own experiments, I had my own real world data on what works for me. In an age of experimentation, Iโm starting conversations with colleagues to find out their experience and sharing mine. Iโd love to know about new and different ways to become more productive.
Keeping my own voice central is essential to me as a writer, so when I make more time for that then I feel like itโs a win. I want to be one of those creatives who uses tools to elevate my time to better use, even when it means giving up some of the work that I used to consider part of my process.
How are you balancing AI efficiency with your own interests?
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