August 18, 2025 • 20 mins
The workplace revolution is here, and it's powered by artificial intelligence. No longer just quietly automating in the background, AI has evolved into active colleagues that brainstorm ideas, draft documents, attend meetings, and write code alongside us. The adoption numbers are staggering – by the end of 2024, three-quarters of workers will use AI on the job, with 90% reporting significant time savings.
Meet your new digital teammates: ChatGPT serves as your versatile all-rounder, ready for everything from quick drafts to creative ideation. Microsoft Copilot integrates seamlessly into familiar tools like Word and Excel, working where you already do. Claude brings exceptional memory capacity for tackling lengthy documents and complex analysis. Google's Gemini enhances your workspace experience as an always-on brainstorming partner. Perplexity AI delivers research with credible sources, while Comet embeds assistance directly into your browser.
These AI colleagues truly shine in everyday workflows. They transform bullet points into polished documents, function as pair programmers, capture meeting notes, and condense massive reports into actionable insights. The pattern is consistent: AI handles the repetitive work so humans can focus on higher-value thinking. It's not replacement – it's teamwork at machine speed. Whether you're crafting a strategic proposal that once took weeks or delivering software projects ahead of schedule, these digital partners amplify what's possible without additional headcount. The key to success? Treat AI as a capable assistant rather than a magic solution, provide clear instructions, verify its work, and continue learning as capabilities evolve. By mastering this partnership, you'll free yourself to focus on what machines can't replace: creativity, strategy, and human connection.
Want to join a community of AI learners and enthusiasts? AI Ready RVA is leading the conversation and is rapidly rising as a hub for AI in the Richmond Region. Become a member and support our AI literacy initiatives.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Inspire AI, the podcast where we
explore how artificialintelligence is transforming the
world around us.
I'm your host, jason McGinty,and today we're diving into your
new AI colleague, where we willbe talking about how smart
tools transform your workplace.
Ai has moved beyond thebuzzword stage.
(00:22):
It's now part of our teams, nolonger just quietly automating
in the background.
These tools are brainstormingideas, drafting documents,
attending meetings I'm lookingat you, otter and even writing
code alongside us.
And adoption has been fast,very fast.
By the end of 2024, threequarters of our co-workers were
(00:46):
already using AI on the job,with 90% saying it saved them
valuable time.
Those are astonishing figures.
So in this episode, we'llintroduce some of the standout
AI quote-unquote.
Colleagues, you might alreadyknow ChatGPT, microsoft, copilot
, claude, google, gemini,perplexity, ai, and there are so
(01:10):
many others that are gettingintroduced to the market today,
but we're going to focus on afew.
Each of these brings their ownstrengths, from quick drafting
and creative brainstorming todeep analysis, integrated
productivity and fact-checkingresearch.
Together, they're reshaping theway we collaborate, solve
(01:30):
problems and get work done.
As we dive in, we'll explorehow they fit into daily
workflows like writing, coding,meetings and decision-making.
We'll share real examples ofthem, boosting productivity, and
give you tips for making themost out of your human and AI
partnership.
(01:50):
So grab your coffee or yournightcap, get comfortable and
let's meet your AI colleagues.
First up, we have ChatGPT, theall-rounder great for quick
drafts, creative ideas, coding,help and clear explanations,
always on, always ready.
(02:11):
Next we have Microsoft Copilot,which lives inside Word, excel,
outlook, github, you name it.
It can draft, analyze,summarize and code without
breaking your workflow.
Next we have Claude AnthropicsBaby, a standout assistant with
(02:32):
tremendous memory, perfect fordigesting long reports, detailed
analysis and step-by-stepproblem solving.
I would even go as far as callit the Volvo of AI models, where
safety is its niche.
Then we have Google's Gemini,more specifically in Google's
(02:53):
workspace native, where it candraft emails, build slides,
analyze sheets and eveninterpret images.
You're always on brainstormingpartner.
And finally, we have PerplexityAI, the research pro.
It finds answers with sources,searches, live web, plus your
(03:15):
internal docs, and turns it allinto clear, reliable summaries.
And finally, we have each ofthese brings their own strengths
, but they share the samemission Make work faster,
smarter and more collaborative.
And finally, Perplexity's newproduct called Amit, an
(03:40):
AI-powered browser that sits onyour sidebar ready to summarize
pages, answers questions aboutwhat you're reading, or takes
actions like sending emailswithout breaking your flow.
Each of these brings uniquestrengths, but they share the
same mission making work faster,smarter and more collaborative.
(04:02):
You are now seeing and hearinghow AI tools are no longer nice
to have.
They are woven into the fabricof our workflows.
So here's how they show up ineveryday tasks, starting with
writing and brainstorming.
Chatgbt and Gemini turn bulletpoints into polished drafts.
They can suggest marketingslogans or outline a
(04:25):
presentation in seconds.
They're great for getting pastthe blank page and sparking
creative ideas.
One example in the wild Dunnand Bradstreet used Gemini to
auto-draft personalized prospectemails, saving hours for their
employees while keeping messagesnice and tailored.
(04:47):
Next we have coding anddevelopment.
The examples everybody knowsabout are GitHub, copilot,
ChatGPT and Claude.
Some of the latest advancementsin their AI models have made
coding exceptionally easy andhave expanded the horizons and
imaginations of developers andnon-coders alike.
(05:08):
These tools have literallybecome pair programmers writing
code, suggesting fixes andexplaining logic.
Claude's huge context windowenables full code base Q&A.
The result faster builds, fewerbugs and less time hunting
through documentation.
Next up meetings andcommunication the things we all
(05:31):
love and cherish.
Well, we have Microsoft Copilotin Teams, taking perfect notes,
highlighting decisions andsuggesting next steps.
Jim and I in Gmail can now turna few bullets into a
ready-to-send email.
These tools make it easy tostay aligned, even if you join a
(05:52):
meeting late.
Then we have Perplexity AI,which excels at real-time
source-cited answers from bothweb and your internal docs.
Comet takes this further,embedding an AI assistant
directly into your browser forinstant page summaries,
context-aware answers and quickactions without leaving your
(06:14):
current task.
Finally, what we've all come tolove is summarization and
insights.
Both Cloud and ChatGPT cancondense hundreds of pages into
concise summary.
Copilot and Excel can analyzeyour data surface trends and
explain them in plain language,turning raw numbers into clear,
(06:35):
actionable insights.
What you'll find across all ofthese areas, the pattern is the
same AI handles the repetitivework, so humans can focus on
higher value thinking.
We draft, they refine, we ask,they analyze, we decide, they
support.
It's not replacement, it'steamwork at machine speed.
(06:58):
The day-to-day experience ofwork is changing for the better
Less drudgery.
Work is changing for the betterLess drudgery, more creativity
and insight.
So let's ground thisinformation in a couple of quick
, real or hypothetical scenariosthat illustrate what working
with an AI colleague can looklike.
Imagine you're a product managerpreparing a strategy document.
(07:22):
You start by asking ChatGPT tobrainstorm ideas for your
product roadmap.
It comes back with a creativelist of features and
improvements some expected andsome novel.
Next you outline your strategypoints and ask ChatGPT through
your company's ChatGPT teamworkspace, of course to turn
(07:45):
these bullets into a draftproposal.
In a few short moments you findthe first draft of a strategy
document, which you then refineand tailor.
But wait, you notice a gap inthe competitive analysis.
So you turn to Perplexity AI.
You query what are the latesttrends in this industry and what
(08:05):
are our competitors focusing on?
Perplexity searches the web andyour internal reports, then
presents a concise summary withreferences.
You drop those insights intoyour document.
Now for data to back thestrategy.
You use Microsoft Copilot inExcel to analyze last quarter's
sales and produces a quick charthighlighting that 80% of the
(08:30):
growth came from one region.
You incorporate that chartBefore a meeting with leadership
.
To present this, you have Jimand I in Google Slides, suggest
a few slide layouts and evengenerate some graphs, maybe even
an illustrative icon set.
You make the presentation popAfter the meeting Copilot and
Teams instantly provides youwith a summary of the discussion
(08:53):
and a list of the decisions andaction items.
No need for you to scribblenotes frantically items.
No need for you to scribblenotes frantically.
In one morning, with thesevarious AI assistants, you went
from zero to a comprehensivestrategy proposal and aligned
the team a process that used totake days or weeks of research,
(09:14):
writing and coordination.
Next, an example near and dearto my heart.
Consider a software developmentteam working on a tight
deadline.
A developer let's call herAlice uses GitHub Copilot every
day as she writes code.
Copilot auto-completes linesand even writes entire functions
(09:34):
.
It suggests unit tests aftershe writes a function, saving
time on test coverage.
Suggests unit tests after shewrites a function, saving time
on test coverage.
When she hits a snag on a bug,she pastes the error message
into Claude and includes theproblematic code block.
Claude scans through the code.
It's a lot of code but rememberClaude's large context window
(09:56):
will handle it.
So it responds with a likelycause of the bug and a
step-by-step fix.
Problem solved in minutes.
In parallel.
Another teammate is new to aparticular library that you're
using.
They ask ChatGPT, via theirteam's secure ChatGPT
environment, to explain how touse this library and gets back
(10:19):
example code and best practices.
Later, the team has a dailystand-up meeting on Teams.
Copilot in Teams transcribesand summarizes what everyone
said, highlighting that twodevelopers unexpectedly had
opposing approaches to a feature.
This alert lets the team leadresolve the discrepancy right
(10:40):
after the meeting, avoiding abigger issue later by the end of
the week.
This development team deliverstheir project faster than
expected and they credit the AIassistance for automating the
boilerplate coding and catchingissues early, essentially
amplifying their output withoutneeding additional headcount,
which saves the company lots ofmoney.
(11:00):
In fact, this mirrors thecompany lots of money.
In fact, this mirrors what manycompanies have found.
A GitHub study notedsignificant productivity boosts
and developers often say AI letsthem focus on interesting
problems while it handles therepetitive setup work.
These examples blend realcapabilities with day-to-day
work.
They show us that, whetheryou're in marketing, engineering
(11:23):
, sales or operations, there aretangible ways these AI
colleagues can contribute.
They can help your writing andresearch get done faster, your
coding and testing becomesmoother and meeting follow-ups
no longer get forgotten, andmeeting follow-ups no longer get
forgotten.
It's not about AI taking overjobs.
It's about AI taking on tasksto free us up for more strategic
(11:47):
, creative and interpersonalwork.
Think of AI as an eager juniorteam member who can work super
fast, never sleeps and doesn'tmind doing the tedious stuff and
is available whenever you needa hand.
By now, you might be excited towork with these AI tools, if
you aren't already.
But how do you get the best outof an AI assistant?
(12:09):
Working with AI is a new skillin and of itself, so here are
some tips to make AIcollaboration productive and
smooth.
First, choose the right tool forthe right task.
Each AI colleague has itsspecialties.
For example, use GitHub Copilotor ChatGPT's Code Interpreter
(12:33):
for coding tasks, but useperplexity or chat GPT with
browsing and researching a topicwith the latest info.
If you want help within youremail or document editor, lean
on tools like Gemini and GoogleWorkspace or Copilot in
Microsoft Office, which arealready context aware.
Matching the tool to the jobwill get you the best results,
(12:55):
just like you'd ask a financecolleague for a budget question
and a design colleague for agraphics question.
Next, be clear and specific inyour prompts.
When delegating to an AI,clarity is key.
I'll say that again Clarity iskey.
Formulate your request withenough details so that the AI
(13:16):
knows what you want.
For instance, instead of askinghelp me with this data.
You might say analyze the salesdata and tell me which product
category grew the fastest yearover year and why that might be.
Providing it context likerelevant data or background
information, and even suggestingthe format of the answer
(13:37):
Bulleted list versus tableversus summarized paragraph can
guide the AI to produce moreuseful output.
Think of it as givinginstructions to a colleague yes,
ai colleague or an intern.
The better the instructions,the better the results.
Next, iterate and refine.
Treat the AI as a partner withwhom you can have a dialogue.
(14:01):
Rarely will the first output beabsolutely perfect.
Use follow-up prompts to refinethe result.
If a draft is too formal, saymake the tone more casual,
please.
Or if the code isn't quitedoing what you need, say that's
close, but adjust it to do X.
All these AI tools allow aniterative prompting.
(14:25):
You can keep tweaking yourrequest or ask for improvements
in different ways.
For example, in a brainstormingyou might go back and forth a
few times by saying those firstfive ideas are great.
Can you expand on idea numbertwo?
Don't be afraid to ask forchanges.
The AI doesn't take offense andwill happily adjust its output.
(14:46):
Next tip double check and editthe AI's work.
Don't take for granted that itknows exactly what you're
looking for or has done all ofits due diligence.
Even though the AI colleaguesare smart, they do make mistakes
or occasionally produceirrelevant information.
We'll call those hallucinations.
Always review and verifyimportant outputs.
(15:09):
Use the AI suggestions as partof your draft or first pass, and
then apply your expertise toensure accuracy and
appropriateness.
For instance, if perplexitygives you a statistic, glance at
the citation to make sure it'sfrom a reliable source.
If Copilot writes a piece ofcode, run it and add tests to
(15:31):
confirm it works.
Check it for bugs, forvulnerabilities.
Think of the AI's work likethat of a diligent,
high-potential employee, but itstill needs senior oversight.
This way, you combine AI speedwith human judgment, which makes
a powerful combo.
And here I'd like to remind youof privacy and policies when
(15:55):
using AI at work.
Remember that these tools arepowered by data.
Make sure you're not passingconfidential or sensitive
information into the public AIservice unless your company has
approved it.
Opt for enterprise versions.
I mentioned, for example,openai's ChatGPT Enterprise
ensures your data isn't used totrain the model and is encrypted
(16:19):
.
Additionally, adhere to any AIusage guidelines your
organization provides.
A good practice is to keeppersonal or proprietary data
safe.
So think about using AI appsthat let you work with data
without it leaving yourenvironment, like Copilot
working with your files in place.
So leverage these features, butleverage them carefully.
(16:41):
Treat the AI like anotherco-worker in terms of
confidentiality.
You wouldn't broadcast yourcompany's secrets to the world,
so don't put them in the publicAI prompt either.
Finally, my favorite continuelearning and experimenting.
Ai tools are evolving fast.
New features and improvementsroll out frequently.
(17:03):
Just think of how many updatesChatGPT had in one year, or how
Google and Microsoft keep addingAI integrations.
To truly get the most out ofyour AI colleagues, set aside a
little time to stay updated andexperiment.
Try out new capabilities.
For example, if your AI toolgets a new ability to handle
(17:24):
images or voice input, considerhow that might help you.
Maybe you can now speak yourideas and have them transcribed
and expanded by AI.
Many companies offer tutorialsor have communities such as
forums, centers of excellence orinternal champions where you
can pick up pro tips.
Don't be afraid to play aroundwith prompts in a low-stakes
(17:48):
context to see how the AIresponds.
The more comfortable you getwith how the AI thinks, the
better you'll be atcollaborating with it.
Remember, you and the AI arelearning to work together, so
there's a bit of training bothways.
You might need to quote-unquote, train your AI by giving
(18:08):
feedback or more context, andyou train yourself by
discovering what phrasing orapproach yields the best results
.
By following these tips, you'lldevelop a smooth working
relationship with your AIcolleagues.
Many early adopters say the keyis to treat the AI as a partner
(18:30):
or an assistant.
Not a magic oracle thatinstantly replaces effort, but
as a very capable helper thatamplifies what you can do.
With clear communication and abit of oversight, your AI
colleague can become anindispensable member of the team
.
As we wrap up this episode,let's take a moment to look
(18:53):
ahead.
We're at an exciting inflectionpoint how work gets done.
Just as email and the internetonce revolutionized the office,
ai is now poised to do the sameas a day-to-day collaborator.
Today, we focused on tools likeChatGPT, copilot, claude,
(19:13):
gemini and Perplexity, eachalready making a mark in
workplaces by handling tasks andoffering insights.
Tomorrow, the capabilities willonly get better.
I'm here to tell you that theidea of AI as your co-worker is
no longer science fiction.
It's reality.
These tools are transforminghow we work, from automating the
(19:36):
mundane to accelerating insight, and this is just the beginning
.
Future AI colleagues willanticipate needs, collaborate
across tools and deliver evenricher context.
By learning to work side byside with these smart tools, we
can free ourselves to focus oncreativity, strategy and human
(19:59):
connection the things machinescan't replace.
So give your AI colleague atask this week and see what you
can accomplish together.
You've been listening toInspire AI, where we explore how
intelligent technology isshaping the world.
Today's episode gave us aglimpse into AI-powered teamwork
(20:19):
.
We'll be back soon with moreinsights and interviews on the
cutting edge of AI.
If you liked what you heard,give us a rating or share the
podcast with a friend or acolleague, and thank you for
listening.
Go, have a productive andinspired day.
Welcome back to Inspire AI, the podcast where we
explore how artificialintelligence is transforming the
world around us.
I'm your host, jason McGinty,and today we're diving into your
new AI colleague, where we willbe talking about how smart
tools transform your workplace.
Ai has moved beyond thebuzzword stage.
(00:22):
It's now part of our teams, nolonger just quietly automating
in the background.
These tools are brainstormingideas, drafting documents,
attending meetings I'm lookingat you, otter and even writing
code alongside us.
And adoption has been fast,very fast.
By the end of 2024, threequarters of our co-workers were
(00:46):
already using AI on the job,with 90% saying it saved them
valuable time.
Those are astonishing figures.
So in this episode, we'llintroduce some of the standout
AI quote-unquote.
Colleagues, you might alreadyknow ChatGPT, microsoft, copilot
, claude, google, gemini,perplexity, ai, and there are so
(01:10):
many others that are gettingintroduced to the market today,
but we're going to focus on afew.
Each of these brings their ownstrengths, from quick drafting
and creative brainstorming todeep analysis, integrated
productivity and fact-checkingresearch.
Together, they're reshaping theway we collaborate, solve
(01:30):
problems and get work done.
As we dive in, we'll explorehow they fit into daily
workflows like writing, coding,meetings and decision-making.
We'll share real examples ofthem, boosting productivity, and
give you tips for making themost out of your human and AI
partnership.
(01:50):
So grab your coffee or yournightcap, get comfortable and
let's meet your AI colleagues.
First up, we have ChatGPT, theall-rounder great for quick
drafts, creative ideas, coding,help and clear explanations,
always on, always ready.
(02:11):
Next we have Microsoft Copilot,which lives inside Word, excel,
outlook, github, you name it.
It can draft, analyze,summarize and code without
breaking your workflow.
Next we have Claude AnthropicsBaby, a standout assistant with
(02:32):
tremendous memory, perfect fordigesting long reports, detailed
analysis and step-by-stepproblem solving.
I would even go as far as callit the Volvo of AI models, where
safety is its niche.
Then we have Google's Gemini,more specifically in Google's
(02:53):
workspace native, where it candraft emails, build slides,
analyze sheets and eveninterpret images.
You're always on brainstormingpartner.
And finally, we have PerplexityAI, the research pro.
It finds answers with sources,searches, live web, plus your
(03:15):
internal docs, and turns it allinto clear, reliable summaries.
And finally, we have each ofthese brings their own strengths
, but they share the samemission Make work faster,
smarter and more collaborative.
And finally, Perplexity's newproduct called Amit, an
(03:40):
AI-powered browser that sits onyour sidebar ready to summarize
pages, answers questions aboutwhat you're reading, or takes
actions like sending emailswithout breaking your flow.
Each of these brings uniquestrengths, but they share the
same mission making work faster,smarter and more collaborative.
(04:02):
You are now seeing and hearinghow AI tools are no longer nice
to have.
They are woven into the fabricof our workflows.
So here's how they show up ineveryday tasks, starting with
writing and brainstorming.
Chatgbt and Gemini turn bulletpoints into polished drafts.
They can suggest marketingslogans or outline a
(04:25):
presentation in seconds.
They're great for getting pastthe blank page and sparking
creative ideas.
One example in the wild Dunnand Bradstreet used Gemini to
auto-draft personalized prospectemails, saving hours for their
employees while keeping messagesnice and tailored.
(04:47):
Next we have coding anddevelopment.
The examples everybody knowsabout are GitHub, copilot,
ChatGPT and Claude.
Some of the latest advancementsin their AI models have made
coding exceptionally easy andhave expanded the horizons and
imaginations of developers andnon-coders alike.
(05:08):
These tools have literallybecome pair programmers writing
code, suggesting fixes andexplaining logic.
Claude's huge context windowenables full code base Q&A.
The result faster builds, fewerbugs and less time hunting
through documentation.
Next up meetings andcommunication the things we all
(05:31):
love and cherish.
Well, we have Microsoft Copilotin Teams, taking perfect notes,
highlighting decisions andsuggesting next steps.
Jim and I in Gmail can now turna few bullets into a
ready-to-send email.
These tools make it easy tostay aligned, even if you join a
(05:52):
meeting late.
Then we have Perplexity AI,which excels at real-time
source-cited answers from bothweb and your internal docs.
Comet takes this further,embedding an AI assistant
directly into your browser forinstant page summaries,
context-aware answers and quickactions without leaving your
(06:14):
current task.
Finally, what we've all come tolove is summarization and
insights.
Both Cloud and ChatGPT cancondense hundreds of pages into
concise summary.
Copilot and Excel can analyzeyour data surface trends and
explain them in plain language,turning raw numbers into clear,
(06:35):
actionable insights.
What you'll find across all ofthese areas, the pattern is the
same AI handles the repetitivework, so humans can focus on
higher value thinking.
We draft, they refine, we ask,they analyze, we decide, they
support.
It's not replacement, it'steamwork at machine speed.
(06:58):
The day-to-day experience ofwork is changing for the better
Less drudgery.
Work is changing for the betterLess drudgery, more creativity
and insight.
So let's ground thisinformation in a couple of quick
, real or hypothetical scenariosthat illustrate what working
with an AI colleague can looklike.
Imagine you're a product managerpreparing a strategy document.
(07:22):
You start by asking ChatGPT tobrainstorm ideas for your
product roadmap.
It comes back with a creativelist of features and
improvements some expected andsome novel.
Next you outline your strategypoints and ask ChatGPT through
your company's ChatGPT teamworkspace, of course to turn
(07:45):
these bullets into a draftproposal.
In a few short moments you findthe first draft of a strategy
document, which you then refineand tailor.
But wait, you notice a gap inthe competitive analysis.
So you turn to Perplexity AI.
You query what are the latesttrends in this industry and what
(08:05):
are our competitors focusing on?
Perplexity searches the web andyour internal reports, then
presents a concise summary withreferences.
You drop those insights intoyour document.
Now for data to back thestrategy.
You use Microsoft Copilot inExcel to analyze last quarter's
sales and produces a quick charthighlighting that 80% of the
(08:30):
growth came from one region.
You incorporate that chartBefore a meeting with leadership
.
To present this, you have Jimand I in Google Slides, suggest
a few slide layouts and evengenerate some graphs, maybe even
an illustrative icon set.
You make the presentation popAfter the meeting Copilot and
Teams instantly provides youwith a summary of the discussion
(08:53):
and a list of the decisions andaction items.
No need for you to scribblenotes frantically items.
No need for you to scribblenotes frantically.
In one morning, with thesevarious AI assistants, you went
from zero to a comprehensivestrategy proposal and aligned
the team a process that used totake days or weeks of research,
(09:14):
writing and coordination.
Next, an example near and dearto my heart.
Consider a software developmentteam working on a tight
deadline.
A developer let's call herAlice uses GitHub Copilot every
day as she writes code.
Copilot auto-completes linesand even writes entire functions
(09:34):
.
It suggests unit tests aftershe writes a function, saving
time on test coverage.
Suggests unit tests after shewrites a function, saving time
on test coverage.
When she hits a snag on a bug,she pastes the error message
into Claude and includes theproblematic code block.
Claude scans through the code.
It's a lot of code but rememberClaude's large context window
(09:56):
will handle it.
So it responds with a likelycause of the bug and a
step-by-step fix.
Problem solved in minutes.
In parallel.
Another teammate is new to aparticular library that you're
using.
They ask ChatGPT, via theirteam's secure ChatGPT
environment, to explain how touse this library and gets back
(10:19):
example code and best practices.
Later, the team has a dailystand-up meeting on Teams.
Copilot in Teams transcribesand summarizes what everyone
said, highlighting that twodevelopers unexpectedly had
opposing approaches to a feature.
This alert lets the team leadresolve the discrepancy right
(10:40):
after the meeting, avoiding abigger issue later by the end of
the week.
This development team deliverstheir project faster than
expected and they credit the AIassistance for automating the
boilerplate coding and catchingissues early, essentially
amplifying their output withoutneeding additional headcount,
which saves the company lots ofmoney.
(11:00):
In fact, this mirrors thecompany lots of money.
In fact, this mirrors what manycompanies have found.
A GitHub study notedsignificant productivity boosts
and developers often say AI letsthem focus on interesting
problems while it handles therepetitive setup work.
These examples blend realcapabilities with day-to-day
work.
They show us that, whetheryou're in marketing, engineering
(11:23):
, sales or operations, there aretangible ways these AI
colleagues can contribute.
They can help your writing andresearch get done faster, your
coding and testing becomesmoother and meeting follow-ups
no longer get forgotten, andmeeting follow-ups no longer get
forgotten.
It's not about AI taking overjobs.
It's about AI taking on tasksto free us up for more strategic
(11:47):
, creative and interpersonalwork.
Think of AI as an eager juniorteam member who can work super
fast, never sleeps and doesn'tmind doing the tedious stuff and
is available whenever you needa hand.
By now, you might be excited towork with these AI tools, if
you aren't already.
But how do you get the best outof an AI assistant?
(12:09):
Working with AI is a new skillin and of itself, so here are
some tips to make AIcollaboration productive and
smooth.
First, choose the right tool forthe right task.
Each AI colleague has itsspecialties.
For example, use GitHub Copilotor ChatGPT's Code Interpreter
(12:33):
for coding tasks, but useperplexity or chat GPT with
browsing and researching a topicwith the latest info.
If you want help within youremail or document editor, lean
on tools like Gemini and GoogleWorkspace or Copilot in
Microsoft Office, which arealready context aware.
Matching the tool to the jobwill get you the best results,
(12:55):
just like you'd ask a financecolleague for a budget question
and a design colleague for agraphics question.
Next, be clear and specific inyour prompts.
When delegating to an AI,clarity is key.
I'll say that again Clarity iskey.
Formulate your request withenough details so that the AI
(13:16):
knows what you want.
For instance, instead of askinghelp me with this data.
You might say analyze the salesdata and tell me which product
category grew the fastest yearover year and why that might be.
Providing it context likerelevant data or background
information, and even suggestingthe format of the answer
(13:37):
Bulleted list versus tableversus summarized paragraph can
guide the AI to produce moreuseful output.
Think of it as givinginstructions to a colleague yes,
ai colleague or an intern.
The better the instructions,the better the results.
Next, iterate and refine.
Treat the AI as a partner withwhom you can have a dialogue.
(14:01):
Rarely will the first output beabsolutely perfect.
Use follow-up prompts to refinethe result.
If a draft is too formal, saymake the tone more casual,
please.
Or if the code isn't quitedoing what you need, say that's
close, but adjust it to do X.
All these AI tools allow aniterative prompting.
(14:25):
You can keep tweaking yourrequest or ask for improvements
in different ways.
For example, in a brainstormingyou might go back and forth a
few times by saying those firstfive ideas are great.
Can you expand on idea numbertwo?
Don't be afraid to ask forchanges.
The AI doesn't take offense andwill happily adjust its output.
(14:46):
Next tip double check and editthe AI's work.
Don't take for granted that itknows exactly what you're
looking for or has done all ofits due diligence.
Even though the AI colleaguesare smart, they do make mistakes
or occasionally produceirrelevant information.
We'll call those hallucinations.
Always review and verifyimportant outputs.
(15:09):
Use the AI suggestions as partof your draft or first pass, and
then apply your expertise toensure accuracy and
appropriateness.
For instance, if perplexitygives you a statistic, glance at
the citation to make sure it'sfrom a reliable source.
If Copilot writes a piece ofcode, run it and add tests to
(15:31):
confirm it works.
Check it for bugs, forvulnerabilities.
Think of the AI's work likethat of a diligent,
high-potential employee, but itstill needs senior oversight.
This way, you combine AI speedwith human judgment, which makes
a powerful combo.
And here I'd like to remind youof privacy and policies when
(15:55):
using AI at work.
Remember that these tools arepowered by data.
Make sure you're not passingconfidential or sensitive
information into the public AIservice unless your company has
approved it.
Opt for enterprise versions.
I mentioned, for example,openai's ChatGPT Enterprise
ensures your data isn't used totrain the model and is encrypted
(16:19):
.
Additionally, adhere to any AIusage guidelines your
organization provides.
A good practice is to keeppersonal or proprietary data
safe.
So think about using AI appsthat let you work with data
without it leaving yourenvironment, like Copilot
working with your files in place.
So leverage these features, butleverage them carefully.
(16:41):
Treat the AI like anotherco-worker in terms of
confidentiality.
You wouldn't broadcast yourcompany's secrets to the world,
so don't put them in the publicAI prompt either.
Finally, my favorite continuelearning and experimenting.
Ai tools are evolving fast.
New features and improvementsroll out frequently.
(17:03):
Just think of how many updatesChatGPT had in one year, or how
Google and Microsoft keep addingAI integrations.
To truly get the most out ofyour AI colleagues, set aside a
little time to stay updated andexperiment.
Try out new capabilities.
For example, if your AI toolgets a new ability to handle
(17:24):
images or voice input, considerhow that might help you.
Maybe you can now speak yourideas and have them transcribed
and expanded by AI.
Many companies offer tutorialsor have communities such as
forums, centers of excellence orinternal champions where you
can pick up pro tips.
Don't be afraid to play aroundwith prompts in a low-stakes
(17:48):
context to see how the AIresponds.
The more comfortable you getwith how the AI thinks, the
better you'll be atcollaborating with it.
Remember, you and the AI arelearning to work together, so
there's a bit of training bothways.
You might need to quote-unquote, train your AI by giving
(18:08):
feedback or more context, andyou train yourself by
discovering what phrasing orapproach yields the best results
.
By following these tips, you'lldevelop a smooth working
relationship with your AIcolleagues.
Many early adopters say the keyis to treat the AI as a partner
(18:30):
or an assistant.
Not a magic oracle thatinstantly replaces effort, but
as a very capable helper thatamplifies what you can do.
With clear communication and abit of oversight, your AI
colleague can become anindispensable member of the team
.
As we wrap up this episode,let's take a moment to look
(18:53):
ahead.
We're at an exciting inflectionpoint how work gets done.
Just as email and the internetonce revolutionized the office,
ai is now poised to do the sameas a day-to-day collaborator.
Today, we focused on tools likeChatGPT, copilot, claude,
(19:13):
gemini and Perplexity, eachalready making a mark in
workplaces by handling tasks andoffering insights.
Tomorrow, the capabilities willonly get better.
I'm here to tell you that theidea of AI as your co-worker is
no longer science fiction.
It's reality.
These tools are transforminghow we work, from automating the
(19:36):
mundane to accelerating insight, and this is just the beginning
.
Future AI colleagues willanticipate needs, collaborate
across tools and deliver evenricher context.
By learning to work side byside with these smart tools, we
can free ourselves to focus oncreativity, strategy and human
(19:59):
connection the things machinescan't replace.
So give your AI colleague atask this week and see what you
can accomplish together.
You've been listening toInspire AI, where we explore how
intelligent technology isshaping the world.
Today's episode gave us aglimpse into AI-powered teamwork
(20:19):
.
We'll be back soon with moreinsights and interviews on the
cutting edge of AI.
If you liked what you heard,give us a rating or share the
podcast with a friend or acolleague, and thank you for
listening.
Go, have a productive andinspired day.
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