Just a year ago, "AI" became the new buzzword on every businessperson's lips; "What is it?" "How do we use it," "What does it know?" Artificial Intelligence, more commonly referred to as "AI," has rapidly evolved from the new buzzword to an essential tool for many modern businesses. As AI technology advances at an unprecedented pace, organizations are seeking ways to harness its potential effectively.

Understanding AI: From ChatGPT to Multimodal Systems 

When ChatGPT was first released in November 2022, it marked a significant milestone in AI development but also brought lots of unanswered questions. Today, we have a better understanding of AI and how it works.

Let's break it down.

First introduced in 2017, Large Language Models (LLMs) were the backbone of many AI systems, including Microsoft, Google, and Apple. These models scan the provided text and predict the next word based off the inputted text. Since then, AI has passed the scope of simple predictive messaging and has grown to be a much more powerful tool. Multimodal AI represents the next frontier, combining text and image analysis to produce more comprehensive responses. For instance, ChatGPT utilizes both LLM and multimodal systems, adapting its approach based on what the user is prompting. If you prompt ChatGPT to draft an email notifying your boss that you will be taking sick leave, it will pull from the LLM to generate a cohesive email worthy of sending to your boss. However, if you ask ChatGPT who is most likely to play in Superbowl LIX, it will use a multimodal system to compile statistics from the internet to tell you we will likely see the Chiefs and 49ers duke it out yet again in 2025. 

Top AI Tools for Business 

With so many AI resources at our fingertips, it can be difficult to decide which ones are the most beneficial for your needs. To maximize AI's potential in your workplace, consider these powerful tools: 

Perplexity: An advanced AI search engine that summarizes information from the first 20 pages of web sources and consolidates it into a well-researched answer.

Google's Gemini Ultra: A sophisticated multimodal AI system for complex data processing that pulls from various pre-loaded data sources and compiles an answer based on the context given. 

OpenAI DALL-E and Leonardo AI: Image generation tools.

Eleven Labs and Murf AI: Voice replication tools. 

Suno and Udio: AI-powered music generation platforms. 

Assistants API: A customizable AI model capable of performing a variety of tasks such as: interacting with users, handling queries, and providing relevant responses. 

HIX Bypass: A tool used to enhance authenticity by making the content sound "human." 

Best Practices When Using AI 

AI is not an all-knowing tool so it's important to know how to navigate the AI realm for the best possible results. If you are new to AI or do not use it frequently, it will take some time to learn how to structure your prompts. 

To maximize the effectiveness and detail of the answer given, be sure to be as comprehensive as possible. If you were to ask an AI tool, "Give me an agenda for a tax workshop," it will deliver a general answer based on the general request given. To get a more tailored response to your needs and specificities, you want to give a more comprehensive prompt such as, "Write an agenda for a workshop run by a payroll company about tax regulations and practices in Virginia. Attendees include 80 payroll clients  and 20 employees who will be attending for 2 hours." The more context provided, the better response you'll get from the AI tool you're using. 

Here are some things to keep in mind when using AI: 

Provide Clear Context: Offer detailed information when prompting AI for more tailored responses.

Experiment with Prompts: If you don't get the answer you wanted on your first try, don't be afraid to ask again. Redefine your prompt with specifics, break up your question, ask follow up questions, or experiment by asking in another way. 

Use Clarifying Statements: Enhance accuracy with phrases like "please research before answering," "ask for clarification if needed," "if you don't know the answer, tell me." 

Fact Check: AI may splice together information to push out an answer, be sure to ALWAYS verify AI-generated information before officially releasing it. 

When discussing AI, there is a myriad of responses you may hear, ranging from "AI will save the world," to "AI is our downfall." Realistically, AI is neither of these extremes. AI is best seen as a powerful tool that can be used to enhance productivity and automate routine tasks. By viewing AI as a collaborative partner, businesses can unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation. 

Want to learn more about harnessing the power of AI and maximizing its use in your workplace? 

Check out our recent Lunch & Learn, Navigating the Future: AI's Impact on the Modern Workplace, where we were joined by Bake More Pies' Cordes Owen and John Toner to learn the strategies necessary to leverage the recent technological advances of AI.