Generative AI sometimes feels like a secret club where you are on the outside looking in. There is so much there and how can anybody make sense of it all?
Here's a little secret, there's no club. We are all just making it up as we go along. A lot of so-called experts are running on the 'fake it til you make it' approach, while others are open and transparent about their learning process.
This field is growing too fast with too many players for anyone to truly have a firm grasp on it all, especially as there is no crystal ball telling us how it will progress.
For me, adopting Generative AI is just as much about the process as it is about the tech. Focus on creating the right process for your team and success will follow.
The Power of Trial and Error
With generative AI, the name of the game is trial and error. How many prompts does it take to make a single line of text? How many times will someone rail on you for not writing it all from scratch?
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again
I will make mistakes, you will make mistakes. Some may go unnoticed while others will sting . But, every mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve. So get up of your @$$ and keep going. Every mistake is another step forward in your Generative AI journey. As Great Aunt Rose told Rosie Revere: “Your brilliant first flop was a raging success! Come on, let's get busy and on to the next!" (Andrea Beaty, Rosie Revere, Engineer).
Yoni and AI Sitting in a Tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
Working with AI is like starting a new relationship. You've got to build trust. And that takes time and understanding. Get to know your AI's strengths and weaknesses. Learn to love it, quirks and all. Those quirks will keep you sharp and help you make the most out of your work together.
Remember the first time you learned to type? Was that easy right from the start? I remember writing a book report on the computer in grade 8. What I could type up now in 15 minutes took me the better part of 4 hours.
Prompting takes time. Work on it, ask your AI to help you, you'd be amazed at how much they already know.
Integration: AI must Play Nice with the Rest of your Team
In love with your AI tool? Can't understand why the team is giving suboptimal results? Bringing Generative AI into the fold can be quite a challenge. Hallucinations, copyright, and employee resistance are only the start of your challenges. But with the right process and the right training, you will see your star rise high in the sky as you wow that demanding C-Suite.
So what does such a process look like? Here's somewhere you can start from, created by the amazing David Harris:
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Check and confirm that your output is credible and accurate
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Tell QAers that you worked with AI to create your content. Highlight sections that are fully AI-generated for review or sections that you are hesitant to publish
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QA, QA, QA. Nothing ever goes live without at least 2 sets of eyes on it. You cannot fact-check and proofread at the same time - first, put your content together, then fact-check, then proofread for spelling and grammar.
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Plan a clear approval process. Err on the side of caution. Editing, fact-checking, and coordination may take longer than producing your first draft.
If it was that Easy, Anyone Could Do It
Let's match expectations. AI is an otherworldly tool, but it's not magic. It won't do all the work for you nor will it solve all your problems overnight. It's a tool that requires time and effort to learn, understand, and integrate into your existing processes.
But if you keep it real and are willing to learn, you can harness its power to unlock your team's full potential and significantly boost your marketing and sales strategies.
Conclusion
There we go. Four steps to adopting Generative AI. It may be challenging, but it's worth it. With AI shaping the future of marketing and sales, those who cannot work with it are likely to fall by the wayside. It's not just about the tech, but about the journey.
Looking for help on your Generative AI journey? Talk to the experts at Penguin Strategies
