My past articles on Artificial Intelligence was met with negative reaction. I made a simple argument that AI will render many jobs useless. Especially jobs that are compliance driven and rules based like accounting, insurance, finance etc.
Commenters were quick in pointing out to me that AI will not replace workers rather professionals who can employ AI to serve their needs will gain an advantage in the work world
I’ve examined the role generative AI has played in my professional life for the past 8 months ever since ChatGPT debuted and I can confidently say AI has improved my workflow and productivity. The commenters were right
Here are 5 ways I’ve used generative AI to boost my efficiency at work and in my career
Career Planning
I remember in 2013, fresh out of school and excited about my professional life, I wanted a head start in building my work life so I emailed a career services/recruitment company about requesting career advice. They said no and responded I couldn’t afford career services (they didn’t offer me a rate card and i felt disrespected).
Had ChatGPT existed at that time, I wouldn’t have bothered. Today, I use generative AI to seek out career pointers, advice, suggestions etc. From structuring a content writing plan on how to improve my writing to suggestions on how to negotiate pay raises.
Analysis
You will be surprised at the inferences and key data points AI can raise when asked the right prompts. When preparing for an interview and you’re not sure about the salaries involved AI can provide details on how to commence salary negotiations.
Example
My Prompt: what is the average salary of a Ghanaian working professional?
ChatGPT’s response
The average salary of a Ghanaian working professional varies widely based on factors like industry, experience, education, and location. As of recent data, average monthly salaries in Ghana typically range as follows:
• Entry-level or junior roles: GHS 1,200 - GHS 2,500 (around USD 100 - 210)
• Mid-level professionals: GHS 3,000 - GHS 6,000 (around USD 250 - 500)
• Senior or specialized roles: GHS 7,000 - GHS 15,000 (around USD 580 - 1,250)
• Executive roles: GHS 20,000 or more (over USD 1,670)
These averages reflect salaried roles and can vary significantly in sectors like technology, banking, engineering, and law, where specialized skills or advanced education are more highly compensated. The tech and financial sectors, for instance, tend to offer above-average salaries, while some public sector and administrative roles are on the lower end.
Insights
Blogger Jon Morrow, published a book titled “AI writer”. He used ChatGPT to structure and write the entire book. AI has the capacity to write proposals, white papers, technical documents etc. whiles providing the necessary insights to make comprehensive write-ups.
I asked ChatGPT to provide insights on successful solopreneurship ventures with low-cost barrier to entry and with a high chances of success.
My prompt: based on the latest empirical data available to you. list 5 low risk, low capital Solopreneurship/small business venture an individual can start and be successful
ChatGPT’s response
1. Freelance Digital Services
Description: Offering specialized services online, such as graphic design, content writing, social media management, SEO, or virtual assistance.
2. Print-on-Demand Store
Description: Selling custom-designed items such as t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases through print-on-demand services
3. Online Courses or E-books
Description: Creating an online course or e-book on a specific skill or subject you’re knowledgeable in, then selling it through platforms like Udemy, Teachable, or Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
4. Social Media Consulting or Management
Description: Offering social media management and consulting services for small businesses that need help establishing or growing their online presence.
5. Affiliate Marketing
Description: Partnering with brands to promote their products or services on your blog, social media channels, or YouTube channel, earning a commission per sale or lead.
Mundane Writing Work
90% of all online written content will be AI generated by 2025. Having a strong hold on how to use AI to generate content will be a valuable for employers. Efficiency is the name of the game.
In order to keep up with the mundane aspects of our jobs, Its important to know how to use generative AI to lighten the workload.
Efficient Knowledge Management/Search
ChatGPT generates basic knowledge to start conversations with people about various topics whether about Roman Empire or a brief update on how the modern homo sapien originated from East Africa, All I have to do is request Generative AI to enlist 5 key facts about my desired topic and voila! I have something to talk about.
Search engines such as Google Search and Bing serves the best available content on desired topic but does not finetune the search results to the searchers taste. This makes my use of generative AI advanced in finetuning my search needs
Generative AI although not perfect has been setup to make professionals more efficient by providing access to resources at maximum speed