Artificial intelligence has become a permanent part of our lives. While it may seem new to many, it’s actually been around since the mid-1950s. Our collective familiarity with a type of AI started with Google search, a tool most of us would consider indispensable. And now, some 27 years after Google’s launch, AI has gone mainstream and picked up a lot of steam along the way.
According to The Conference Board, a nonprofit business and research organization, 56% of US workers use AI on the job, with nearly one in ten employing the technology on a daily basis. Just over 50% of survey respondents said that the AI tools they use “match the quality of an experienced or expert human worker,” which indicates that AI usage will only increase as time goes by.
While some of us are still wrapping our heads around artificial intelligence and wondering how it will impact our lives, some AWIS members have already taken the plunge into the AI pool, and recently shared some insights with me.
How long have you been using AI?
I’ve been using AI since August 2024, when I only had two weeks to learn two programming languages in enough detail to perform specific, customized tasks [time-crucial for my research]. ChatGPT helped me create a functional prototype in one day, and I had my scripts ready a few days later.
Now, with my automated protocol, I’m able to collect massive amounts of data while working on other tasks. One of those tasks has been developing batch-processing scripts to create 3D models on high computing clusters. Eventually, I will need to create hundreds of models, and these scripts will save me countless hours.
How specifically do you use AI?
AI has served as an invaluable tool for me during a critical and time-sensitive period of my PhD. As a novice coder, I use AI to help me create C++ and Python scripts to automate data collection. For my research, I use photogrammetry to create 3D models of primate teeth that I later use to measure and analyze differences across species. ChatGPT allows me to almost entirely automate this process from photography to model creation.
What do you find most helpful about using AI?
Before using ChatGPT, I was completely unfamiliar with the use of the programming languages C++ and Python to automate tasks in software for creating 3D models. ChatGPT gives me the skeleton of what I need—imported modules, commands, and syntax—that would otherwise take me weeks to learn. This skeleton is immensely helpful to me because although I often need to tweak it, I can correct the code—using the rough structure that ChatGPT gives me and the program reference manuals that I’ve found—to perform the tasks I need in a relatively short amount of time. Now I rely on ChatGPT less and can write new sections on my own based on other commands’ structures.
Having these scripts ready to automate my photography process has been indispensable to maximizing my productivity. This means that I not only can photograph specimens more efficiently, I also can perform other administrative tasks while photography takes place. Since I have limited time, AI helps during this critical stage of my research.
What has challenged you in using AI with those tasks?
I found troubleshooting errors with ChatGPT difficult at first. Identifying and correcting ChatGPT when its outputs were nonfunctional proved challenging, not only because I didn’t have the expertise but also because I couldn’t articulate what I needed to prompt ChatGPT properly.
Now, I would say my biggest concern or challenge involves using AI ethically, given its relatively high energy consumption. My understanding is that the ratio of energy use for asking ChatGPT a question versus entering a query on Google is 10:1. So, if I can solve my problem with one prompt for a problem that would otherwise take me more than 10 Google searches, then it is more productive to use ChatGPT.
Recommended Resources
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How long have you been using AI?
I have been using AI for less than a year, and because I am a government employee, my employer blocks AI platforms, so I’m limited [in using the tool] during work hours.
How do you use AI?
I primarily use AI for research tasks, editing and reviewing documents, and for job applications since I’m in my f inal year of my postdoc and have begun the job search process. For research, I’ve used AI to frame questions and to generate hypotheses, to select research designs and methodology, to analyze and interpret data, to craft research manuscripts, and to address peer review feedback. I read Supercharge Your Research Productivity with ChatGPT by Ruopeng An, which provided me with strategies and techniques to help in interacting with AI platforms successfully.
AI can be very helpful for coding, so I use R Studio and Claude. The AI platform debugs lines of code very well, interprets model outputs, summarizes findings, and compares and contrasts analysis methods. AI also helps me outline steps to conduct reviews and guide literature searches for specific topics. I also use AI to review documents I am writing to ensure that I’m more succinct in my writing style, which doesn’t come naturally to me as I tend to be verbose.
What do you find most helpful about using AI?
I primarily use Claude AI and have a Pro membership subscription. I really like Claude because it has the most “natural” language interpretation, as well as excellent processing, creativity, proofreading, fact-checking, and coding capabilities. This article provides a nice comparison between Claude and ChatGPT (Claude vs. ChatGPT: What’s the difference? [2024]) [Author’s note: When the first version of ChatGPT came out in late 2022, it became the fastest growing app ever, amassing over 100 million users in its first two months. Although many rivals now exist, its closest rival in terms of performance is Claude, which launched in 2023.]
Claude has a “projects” feature with the Pro membership, which allows users to create projects (think folders) for a specific topic. You can then upload documents to this project and have the platform review document X and/or Y, or compare them, within the project. This proves helpful for many purposes, but I have used this the most for job applications.
I can also use AI in social or personal business settings, such as for generating charades clues, reviewing health insurance plans based on my specific needs, or even for providing monthly budgets from my bank and credit card statements. The possibilities are endless. You just need to think creatively about how to ask your question or about how to interact with the platform to get the results you desire.
What has challenged you in using AI?
Even though I have a Claude AI Pro membership, I still have a limited number of questions that I can ask. I believe users refer to this as “input tokens.” This is a limitation for both Claude and ChatGPT. Fortunately, I have learned to ask multistep prompts and to use projects to reduce the number of searches I request in a single day. Early on in my AI use, I also had not yet learned how to fact check results from AI, so I received false citations. You must learn how to interact with any AI platform you choose to use and take the time to review the output in detail. AI cannot think for us—it simply speeds up some of the steps we would have taken to think critically about any topic, problem, or question.
How long have you been using AI?
I have been using AI for at least three years, starting with my academic research and continuing in my current role.
How do you use AI?
During my academic research, I used AI extensively to navigate large volumes of literature, extract relevant information efficiently, and identify emerging trends. This was particularly valuable in projects addressing food waste and sustainability, where AI helped analyze complex datasets and model resource-saving solutions. AI also played a crucial role in refining written communication, especially when I collaborated with researchers from diverse linguistic backgrounds. I currently use AI for process optimization, for identifying sustainable alternatives, and for drafting initial reports. These applications significantly enhance my productivity and help ensure processes align with sustainability and cost-efficiency goals.
What do you find most helpful about using AI?
AI proves incredibly helpful in saving time by automating repetitive tasks, such as literature reviews and grammar corrections. It improves the accuracy and efficiency of analyzing data, identifying patterns, and extracting actionable insights. AI supports decision-making, simplifies complex analyses, and accelerates the development of innovative solutions.
What has challenged you in using AI?
The primary challenge relates to ensuring the reliability and accuracy of AI-generated outputs, which often require careful validation and fine-tuning. Customizing AI tools to meet specific research or industry needs can also involve a steep learning curve or additional effort to tailor them to unique objectives. Despite these challenges, the benefits of improved productivity and innovative problem-solving have far outweighed AI’s limitations.
Linda Hinkle, is a Technical Editor for SDII Global, a forensics engineering firm in Tampa, FL. She is an experienced MarCom professional with over three decades of experience. She received her BS in journalism from the University of Houston and her MBA in marketing from the University of Phoenix. She has worked on both the agency and the client side of the table: writing or editing articles, web copy, ads, and books.
This article was originally published in AWIS Magazine. Join AWIS to access the full issue of AWIS Magazine and more member benefits.