I recently attended a Lunch and Learn at the Invermere Campus of the College of the Rockies in partnership with KAST (Kootenay Association for Science & Technology) and The Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce. Presented by Priya Biswas, the subject was Practical AI for Your Business or Organization and was very well attended (shout out to support from the United Way, to pave the way for local non-profit organizations to attend)!
So, here is the thing; I am a writer. I like to put words to paper, turn out clever turns of phrase and, most importantly for me, put a little piece of me and my humour in every bit of wordsmithing I put out into the world. Using AI made me nervous – there was an undefined sense of unease whenever it was suggested I use it, or when I read something that obviously was AI generated. I was resistant.
Priya opened the session with a plethora of examples of how we already use AI in our daily lives, sometimes without even realizing it, and how we depend on its ability to recognize patterns and collect data; generative AI is simply the next step in a collaborative journey. She talked about how AI is the ideal partner for completing repetitive tasks, transcribing meetings accurately (sometimes a bit too accurately – be careful what you say!) and providing non-judgemental feedback on draft ideas.
The session also touched on AI ethics, accuracy and the importance of maintaining the spirit and unique voice of your organization when using this versatile and exciting new tool: don’t share intellectual property, fact check everything and change things to make it sound like you – that’s who your customers and clients want to hear from!
I won’t say I’m a complete convert, but spending my time in this session with Priya has convinced me to start a ChatGPT account, and yes, I have used it (and not just for the social media post I put out right after the session)! AI should and can be used as a tool, not a replacement for the art of being a human!
Lunch and Learn Sessions are offered in partnership with the College of the Rockies, Invermere Campus and the CV Chamber and will resume in the fall of 2025 – watch for a new line-up of interesting and useful sessions to help your business or organization thrive! If you have an idea for as session, please feel free to reach out and share!
–Deanna Berrington
CV Chamber of Commerce