Joe Houghton and Patrick Downes had an extensive discussion about the evolution of AI and its potential benefits and ethical considerations. They explored the development of AI tools like Chat Gpt and Microsoft co-pilot, emphasising their increasing role in interactive data analysis and content creation. The conversation also touched upon the legal and societal implications of AI, its impact on industries, and potential risks.
Summary
AI Evolution and Ethical Considerations
Patrick and Joe discussed the rapid evolution of AI, its increasing sophistication, and the ethical considerations surrounding its use. Joe, an AI consultant and professor, shared their insights on the development of AI tools like Chat Gpt and Microsoft co-pilot, emphasising their potential for interactive data analysis and content creation. They encouraged attendees to experiment with these tools and treat AI bots as research assistants or conversational partners. The discussion also touched upon the legal and societal implications of AI, including its impact on industries and potential risks.
Evolution of Chatbots and AI Integration in Workplace
Joe discussed the evolution of chatbots, highlighting the release of the official Chat Gpt app for both iPhone and Android. They shared their personal use of the app during their car commutes for discussion and research purposes. Furthermore, they mentioned the introduction of the AI co-pilot by Microsoft to their Office suite, which integrates with Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, with Excel integration on the horizon. Joe also addressed some issues with the Word integration, suggesting it needs improvement. Lastly, they emphasised the necessity of embracing AI tools in the workplace, comparing its adoption to the use of Google search, and predicted its further integration into our tools and workflows.
AI in Consulting: Advantages, Challenges, and Ethics
Joe and Patrick discussed the potential advantages and challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) in consulting. They highlighted the democratising effect of AI, allowing smaller practices to compete on a larger scale. Joe mentioned the trend of creating proprietary AI, such as Chat Gpt, which can be trained on specific data sets. This could be particularly beneficial for consultancies with expertise in certain areas. They also acknowledged the ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI, particularly in academic contexts, as it can make plagiarism easier. However, they noted that many students use AI to overcome writer’s block and generate ideas. The discussion concluded with Joe pointing out that current AI tools are not efficient at referencing.
AI Tools and Data Visualization Discussion
Joe discussed the advantages of various AI tools, such as Microsoft Co-pilot, Perplexity, Consensus, and others, highlighting their strengths in different applications. They mentioned that some tools, like Perplexity, offer access to Chat Gpt 4 if purchased. They also noted that Microsoft’s collaboration with OpenAI is likely to enhance Excel’s data visualisation capabilities. Patrick raised the topic of data visualisation, suggesting that even Survey Monkey, a commonly used tool in their professional consultancy, might be lagging in this area. Joe concluded by recommending Microsoft Co-pilot as a cost-effective AI tool that provides access to robust versions of Chat Gpt.
Document Summarization and User Interaction Tools
Joe demonstrated the capabilities of a tool that can summarize documents and interact with users within a Word document. They showed how the tool can generate responses, change text to a more formal English, and summarize text. They also mentioned a tool called “Claude” that has a larger memory capacity, which is useful for loading larger chunks of text. Joe further explained that Chat Gpt and Co-pilot can be a bit stilted at times, but there are ways to adjust this. Finally, they provided tips on how to customize Chat Gpt’s responses, such as setting it to respond in UK English and avoiding purple prose.
AI Conversation and Customization
Joe and Patrick discussed the evolving field of AI, focusing on the significance of prompts in shaping AI responses. Joe explained that AI is a new technology that will soon become a natural part of conversations and interactions. They highlighted the potential for AI to translate thoughts into text, and the need for users to tweak and customize AI tools to get the most out of them. Joe also suggested that AI could be used as a consultant and advised users to frame their discussions with AI to get more tailored responses. The conversation also touched on the emergence of personalised chatbots that could be trained as assistants. Joe and Patrick agreed that while AI tools are already widely available, their adoption depends on individual workflows and tasks.
AI, Voice Assistants, and Wearable Technology
Joe and Patrick discussed the evolution of AI, particularly in relation to voice assistants like Alexa and Siri. Joe predicted that Alexa would soon make significant progress in AI, and expressed their opinion that Siri was lagging behind. They also touched upon the potential of wearable technology and its integration with AI. Joe shared their personal experience of using wearable technology to monitor their heart rate, which aided in their diagnosis and treatment. The conversation ended with Joe reviewing the AI tools they uses, including Chat GPT, Gamma, Yamaha, Tool Bot, and Canva, and their plans to discontinue the use of some due to the emergence of new tools.
AI Tools and Consulting Industry Future
Joe and Patrick discussed the advantages and potential risks associated with using AI tools for recording and transcribing calls, with a focus on Zoom’s new features and competitor Otto. They also explored the use of chatbots for data sharing, highlighting the need for caution when handling confidential information. They discussed the advancements in AI tools, particularly in data visualisation and analytics, and speculated about the future of wearable technology. They also discussed the impact of AI on the consulting industry, particularly on smaller firms, and the potential threat to firms like Gartner and Forrester. The conversation concluded with a focus on the importance of data integrity and the need for consulting firms to establish closed AI environments.
It was announced that the AI theme would be continued by the IMCA for the next two quarters.
Link to the recording here = THE FUTURE OF AI
