AI Made Simple summary

Generative AI may seem intimidating, but getting started is surprisingly simple. One of the best ways to explore its power is simply to start writing with it.

ChatGPT is the most accessible and popular tool for newcomers, so let’s start there. First, head to chat.openai.com and create an account. The free version uses GPT-3.5, while the more powerful GPT-4 model is available for a $20-per-month subscription. That paid tier unlocks access to image generation tools like DALL-E, advanced data analysis, internet browsing through Bing, and the GPT Store – a growing library of custom AI assistants.

Generative AI is a technological marvel – but it still can’t read your mind. To get high-quality results, you have to speak its language. And that language is prompts. We already discussed the basics of prompts in the last section. Now, let’s go deeper.

A prompt is any request you type into a tool like ChatGPT to get a specific response. The more specific and structured your prompt, the better the result. 

Imagine describing a wild image – say, a chimpanzee juggling chainsaws – and seeing it brought to life in seconds. That’s now possible thanks to tools like DALL-E, which turns text prompts into original images using Generative AI. 

Developed by OpenAI, DALL-E converts text into digital artwork by feeding your description into a neural network trained on millions of images. The result? Professional-quality images – no photographer or designer required. Whether you need a surreal illustration, a business image, or a wedding invite, DALL-E delivers.

Steven A. Schwartz found himself in an uncomfortable position before a Manhattan court. The lawyer had submitted a federal court filing citing six legal precedents to support his client’s personal injury case – except none of the cases actually existed.

The culprit? ChatGPT. Schwartz had used the AI tool without realizing it could fabricate information, a phenomenon known as a “hallucination.” Even worse, when he questioned ChatGPT about the cases, it confidently insisted they were real.

“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice,” wrote the poet Robert Frost. But according to some AI experts, artificial intelligence might be humanity’s true existential threat. In May 2023, over 350 AI executives, researchers, and engineers signed an open letter warning that their creation should be considered a societal risk on par with pandemics and nuclear war. 

Despite these dramatic warnings, there’s compelling evidence that AI might actually usher in a new Age of Enlightenment rather than our extinction. Already, AI is producing tangible benefits for humanity. In April 2023, scientists used AI to discover a new antibiotic capable of killing a deadly superbug. The AI analyzed over 6,000 chemical compounds in just 90 minutes, identifying promising candidates that led to the discovery of Abaucin and eight other potential antibiotics. This task would have been impossible for humans alone.