134. How to Chat with Bots: The Secrets to Getting the Information You Need from AI

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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Leveraging AI to unlock new levels of creativity and communication innovation

Join Matt Abrahams with creativity and innovation experts Jeremy Utley and Kian Gohar to explore the transformative potential of AI in the realms of creativity and problem-solving.

If you treat artificial intelligence like an oracle, you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you treat it like a teammate, Utley and Gohar say you’ll be surprised just how helpful a collaborator it can be.

Utley, an adjunct professor at the Stanford d.school, and Gohar, a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and futurist, have researched how teams can integrate AI into existing workflows to generate more creative ideas and streamline problem-solving. As they’ve found, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT can be powerful tools for innovation. But without knowing how to implement them, “Most teams leave the vast majority of their innovation potential on the table,” Utley says. In a new white paper, he and Gohar illuminate the path teams can take to use generative AI as a “conversation partner” and transform their brainstorming efforts as a result.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Utley and Gohar discuss how innovators can stop viewing AI as a magic 8-ball, and start treating it as a companion — one ready to roll up its sleeves and dig deep for new ideas.

Episode Reference Links:

• Jeremy Utley: Website
• Jeremy's book: Ideaflow
• Kian Gohar: Website + Geolab
• Kian's book: Competing In The New World Of Work
• FIXIT
• HBR article by Jeremy and Kian: Don’t Let Gen AI Limit Your Team’s Creativity
• Ep.70 - Ideas Fuel Innovation: Why Your First Ideas Aren’t Always the Best
• Ep.77 - Quick Thinks: AI Has Entered the Chat
• Communicators Kian admires:
• Peggy Noonan + Declarations at The Wall Street Journal
• Sam Horn + Tongue Fu!: How to Deflect, Disarm, and Defuse Any Verbal Conflict

Connect:

• Email Questions & Feedback >>> [e-mail]
• Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
• Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
• Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Matt Abrahams introduces guests Jeremy Utley and Kian Gohar, and their respective books.

(00:01:02) Motivation Behind the Study on AI's Impact

AI's impact on creativity and problem-solving, including an experiment involving human ideation with and without AI assistance.

(00:03:32) Research Findings on AI and Innovation

Specific practices to effectively use AI in teams for idea generation and the counterintuitive feelings associated with AI-assisted work.

(00:04:37) The Counterintuitive Nature of AI Assistance

Why teams that used AI effectively felt worse about their work, and the importance of adjusting work processes to incorporate AI as a collaborative tool.

(00:07:59) The FIXIT Methodology for AI Collaboration

The FIXIT methodology, a five-step process to enhance collaboration with AI.

(00:12:29) Enhancing Conversations with AI

Improving conversations with AI, including using audio messages for interaction and exploring different large language models for varied inputs.

(00:17:45) The Final Three Questions

Jeremy Utley offers a starting point for individuals new to ChatGPT, and Kian Gohar shares two communicators he admires and his three ingredients for successful communication.

(00:22:57) Conclusion