A 50-Year-Old’s Beginners Guide to Using AI
Dec 10, 2024
Let me start with a confession: I am not what you’d call ‘tech-savvy.’ I’ve spent most of my life in a polite standoff with technology--mastering just enough to get by while secretly dreading the spinning rainbow wheel of doom on my screen. I have friends that speak about large language models and algorithms, and I have no idea what they are talking about. Truth be told, he had to correct me as I thought the word was logarithm (bah ha ha!). Then along came AI, and my first reaction was, “Great, another thing to make me feel like a technological dinosaur.”
My First (Hilarious) Tech Fumbles
Let’s set the scene with a few of my past tech mishaps, just to level the playing field.
- My first Zoom call included 5 minutes of me yelling, “Can you hear me now?” into a muted microphone.
- Don’t even ask about the first time I tried to create a spreadsheet. It was like watching a cat attempt algebra. What the heck is a pivot table anyway??
Surprisingly, the more I dipped my toe into Artificial Intelligence (AI), the less intimidating it has become. Thanks to tools like Otter and ChatGPT I have found myself leaning in. If you’re like me—nervous about technology, but curious enough to peek over the fence—this blog is for you.
My peers and I have some very similar experiences about how we use it. At first, it’s simple curiosity. Do you remember when we used the search engine ‘Ask Jeeves?’ They used AI very similarly. My pals have AI loaded on their phones now, and use it for any and all questions that might come up in the spur of the moment. They also use it at work. One example is for writing drafts of an email responding to an angry client using a prompt like, “Can you write a warm response to this letter that gently says no and leads with compassion and empathy?”
Here are two AI tools that have made my professional life exponentially easier.
Step One: Breaking the Ice with Otter
Otter is a transcription tool that turns spoken words into text. It’s a Godsend if you are conducting focus groups; wanting to capture meeting notes; or, just like to organize brainstorming sessions. Simply open the app, and set it on the desk for everyone to be aware of.
Real-Life Example: Taking Notes from Focus Groups
I used to spend hours taking handwritten notes, then even more time typing them up verbatim before I could look for qualitative themes to reinforce the most critical points. Finally, days later, I could create a feedback loop to the participants to make sure I had captured the data correctly. There was always a back-and-forth bit of editing, and this whole process felt laborious and took dedicated hours from my schedule. With Otter, I have a transcription, summary and action steps emailed to the participants before they return to their office. It’s a game changer!!
Pro Tip for Beginners:
- Sign up for Otter, and download the app onto your phone or laptop.
- Be sure to alert everyone participating that you are using the technology, and its purpose.
- When the session starts, press “Record.”
- Afterward, review the transcription, and edit any quirks (e.g., Otter might think “soccer” is “sucker” if you mumble. Speaking from experience).
Not only did this save my wrist from cramping, but it also let me fully engage in the discussion. Plus, Otter doesn’t judge your terrible handwriting.
Step Two: ChatGPT, My Digital Assistant Extraordinaire
Here’s where things got truly magical. ChatGPT became my secret weapon for tasks that have become quite repetitive.
Real-Life Example #1: Crafting Interview Questions and Rubrics
One day, I was tasked with creating a question list and rubric for a job interview. Normally, this would mean hours of brainstorming, Googling and second-guessing myself. Instead, I asked ChatGPT:
“Acting as a VP can you create a set of behavioral interview questions for a leadership role, and a scoring rubric?”
Within seconds, I had a list that was not only thoughtful, but also structured.
- “Describe a time you turned a failure into a learning opportunity.”
- Scoring criteria: Clarity, relevance and self-awareness.
I tweaked the scoring, but the heavy lifting was done. My coworkers were impressed. I didn’t tell them my secret (until now—"Hi, team!”).
Real-Life Example #2:
I took my lecture notes from a class I was teaching and asked ChatGPT to make a slide deck.
My prompt:
“Acting as a professor for a first-year university class, can you take motivational speaking notes from “The Skill of Self Confidence,” and create a power point?”
It was great use of AI. I had small edits to make, but it was an amazing timesaver.
Pro Tip for ChatGPT Beginners:
- Be specific with your prompts. Include your role, your audience and your context.
- Don’t hesitate to ask follow-ups like, “Can you make this funnier?” or “Add examples relevant to sport”!
- Review and personalize the output to make it truly yours.
Laughing Through the Learning Curve
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. I’ve had my fair share of AI bloopers, like the time I asked ChatGPT for “tips on running a tight ship” and got advice on literal boat maintenance. Another time Otter misheard “leadership traits” as “leather ship crates.” (I blame my accent.)
These hiccups were small compared to the benefits. AI didn’t just make my work easier—it made me better at it. I became more efficient, confident and even a little tech-savvy.
Why You Should Give AI a Shot
If you’re still on the fence, let me make my case:
- It saves time. Tasks that used to take hours now take minutes.
- It reduces stress. No more staring at a blank page or panicking over forgotten notes.
- It’s surprisingly intuitive. If you can write an email, you can use ChatGPT. If you can hit “record,” you can use Otter.
The Takeaway
Leaning into AI didn’t make me a tech wizard, but it did recoup time for the things that matter to me: strategy, building interpersonal relationships and visioning, to name a few.