Getting a Grip on the ChatGPT Reins

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the OpenAI tool ChatGPT are hotly debated across many industries, with many speculating on the impacts they will have – both positive and negative. As higher education marketers, we propose approaching these new technologies much like any other innovation or trend – with curiosity and balanced doses of optimism and criticism.

Marketers often benefit from an early-adopter mindset with an open mind to how new technology can present both challenges and benefits. Further, those of us in the higher education space have an additional imperative to prepare the rising generations to make the best of changes in the landscape of their careers – and broader lives.

AI IN EDUCATION

AI is not new to education; digital tools such Grammarly, Citation Machine, Chegg, and Brainly, have been available to help students with grammar, citations, and creating study materials for years. Educators even use AI technologies to prevent cheating, including tools such as TurnItIn. And many higher education websites use AI through chatbots that can answer common questions about admission, financial aid, course registration, student services, and more.

However, the latest iteration of ChatGPT has garnered increased attention with its impressive conversational responses. While the technology at its most basic is only generating what it has determined to be the next most likely word based on the vast amounts of text it has access to from the internet, it has reached a level that can be difficult to distinguished from human speech. And yet it is not human. It still struggles to interpret context and other nuances of language.

ENGAGING WITH CHATGPT

So as professionals who deal in words and nuances, how can we bring ChatGPT alongside us in our work rather than pitting ourselves against it? How can we take the reins in our expert hands and utilize it as a tool rather than a threat?

For a start, let’s simply take it out for a spin with this post as a test case. Are the words you’re reading generated by ChatGPT? No. But it did serve as an aid for idea generation and a tool for working through writer’s block. Much like bouncing ideas off a colleague, ChatGPT and I began a dialogue.

An Idea Generator

I typed into ChatGPT, “What would be a good framework for a blog about higher education marketing teams/marketers utilizing ChatGPT?” Below is a screenshot of part of the framework it gave me:

Example 1

My next step was to further research these ideas online. I found plenty of other articles and blogs of a similar set up, but none with actual examples to showcase, which indicated a gap in the market that I could fill with the direction of my hypothetical blog post.

An Un-stuck Machine

I also tried using ChatGPT as a tool for tackling writer’s block by asking questions like, “Explain the importance of innovation in higher education marketing.” The results (below) helped me move beyond my creative block to better organize my personal ideas and professional experiences with other insights I hadn’t considered. Again, ChatGPT’s responses served as a jumping-off point for further research and thinking on my part. Cut-and-paste isn’t an effective or ethical option.

Example 2

An Inspiration Repository

ChatGPT allows users to utilize it for many different projects at once, with each inquiry labeled and archived for future reference and repeat use. This can be accessed as a repository of information, ideas, and inspiration for any number of current or future projects.

BECOMING A DRIVER OF AI ON CAMPUS

As colleges explore AI – and ChatGPT, in particular – marketing leaders should position themselves as members of the team driving the conversation on campus. Bring that early-adopter mindset to the table, not to push an agenda but to serve as a steady hand on the reins as policies and guidelines are considered.

While ChatGPT is still in its infancy, it has already made an impact on our institutions. From understanding and keeping up with the latest technology to utilizing it in even the smallest ways to become more efficient, there is much opportunity for higher education marketers to learn to use ChatGPT to the benefit of their teams. As AI technologies only promise to grow and evolve, now is the time for higher education leaders to consider not only how to guide the technology’s effects on their campuses and industry but also how higher education can positively influence the future of the technology itself.