By Chris G Jones · · Updated · 3 min read
The slow start is often the expensive part
A surprising amount of owner time disappears before a useful decision has even been made. There is a blank page, a long document, a rough set of notes or a spreadsheet that needs turning into something someone can use. None of that is difficult in isolation, but it keeps important work sitting still.
I do not use AI to avoid thinking. I use it to get past the slow start so I can spend more time on the context, judgement and relationships that need an actual person.
What I use it for
I use ChatGPT for first drafts, structuring proposals, summarising long documents, tidying messy data and building prompts for repeat tasks. It gives me a starting point. I then decide what is true, what sounds like me and what is worth keeping.
The quality of the instruction makes a big difference. If I give it a vague question, I get a vague answer. When I explain the context, audience and outcome I am trying to reach, it becomes much more useful.
The limitation I keep in mind
ChatGPT can sound very sure while being wrong. It can also produce writing that reads smoothly and says almost nothing. I check facts, keep sensitive information out of prompts where it does not need to be and do not publish the first answer because it looks polished.
It earns its place when it helps a person get to a stronger first version. It is a poor substitute for subject knowledge, accountability or a decision that needs to be owned.