How to use AI, ChatGPT to save time at work

“Sometimes I get 20 messages a day from customers,” she said. “If I were to answer all of this manually, I would spend hours a day just answering messages. With ChatGPT, I can connect my tone and brand voice and cut down on time significantly.”

However, Gerbus said she is concerned about the potential for artificial intelligence tools to automate and replace some of the work she does, which she said mainly consists of copywriting and brand strategy. For now, she believes she still has an advantage over these tools, but she’s already taken steps to prepare for the future of AI — including looking for gigs that involve editing AI-generated content.

“My backup plan is to adapt and pivot,” she told Business Insider via email. “If ChatGPT replaces my writing work, I think people will still need help with strategy, even if it’s an AI strategy.”

While AI could help some workers become more productive, spend less time on boring tasks and have a four-day work week, others could face more competition, lower wages or even they see these technologies replacing their jobs. A Goldman Sachs report published last year estimated that 300 million full-time jobs around the world could be disrupted – not necessarily replaced – by AI in the coming years. for now, some companies have struggled to adopt AI, but the technology has already cost some workers their jobs.

Despite the potential downsides of adopting AI in the workplace, several workers told Business Insider that they use AI tools to improve their skill set, productivity and performance at work. While they believe there is a chance that technology will one day turn from friend to foe – and threaten their jobs – they are focused on preparing for change and trying to operate alongside technology.

This tactic is an example of how people tend to respond to fear and uncertainty, Ben Granger, chief workplace psychologist at experience management firm Qualtrics, told BI.

Certainly, some people may work for employers that restrict the use of AI, and AI tools are known to sometimes produce inaccurate information. But if used correctly and with care, workers told BI that these tools can save them hours of time each week.

Fears of AI have led some people to embrace the technology

Granger said workers tend to respond to AI adoption in one of three ways — citing his research and conversations with customers over the past few years.

Some workers are “proactively adopting” AI tools and trying to use them to their advantage, he said. Meanwhile, others are “very resistant” to using artificial intelligence, find it “worrying and scary” and want to avoid using it as long as possible. The third group includes people who are intrigued by AI tools, may have experimented with them in their personal time, but are slow to adopt them in the workplace: “They’re still waiting to see what happens,” Granger said.

In addition to concerns about AI job replacement, Granger said in general the uncertainty of AI’s future can stress some workers.

“People are very bad at dealing with uncertainty,” he said. “We avoid it. It causes us a lot of psychological problems.”

In response to AI uncertainty and job-displacement fears, Granger said workers could respond in different ways to try to protect themselves. Some people might look for a job that they think is less likely to be affected or vulnerable to AI adoption. Meanwhile, others may decide to embrace AI technology in hopes that if they can master it, they will stay ahead of the curve, position themselves for new AI-related roles, and increase job security.

Tricia LaRue, a marketing professional from Missouri, is among the workers who have decided to embrace AI. She uses AI tools almost daily to help generate pitches, scripts, press releases and social media content — and pays for the premium version of ChatGPT so she can upload spreadsheets and perform data analysis to inform marketing strategy and campaigns.

“It has helped increase my efficiency and speed immensely,” she previously told Business Insider via email.

In the coming years, LaRue said he believes some marketing jobs could be threatened by AI technologies. Even if AI can’t fully automate some tasks, she said some smaller businesses could try to save money by cutting ties with outside marketing agencies and doing the work themselves.

However, she believes that marketers who learn to use AI tools and provide their own expertise will continue to be desirable.

“I don’t think we’re at a point where AI can replace a competent team in a marketing agency,” she said. “Those who use AI effectively and strategically will not be replaced.”

Some workers are preparing for a future where AI skills are highly valued

Some employees told BI that they’re not just using AI to be more productive in the short term: they’re preparing for a reality where their jobs change, the use of AI becomes essential, and mastering the technology could be key to ensuring their safety in work.

James Delage, a 28-year-old resource manager based in Minnesota, estimated that he saves 15 to 20 hours a week using ChatGPT for “manual tasks,” including writing emails, organizing project data, and writing the code. While he believes that some parts of his job could be automated in the future, he is optimistic that this would cause his job to change rather than be eliminated.

“I don’t think it’s a race against time before AI takes my job, but that AI is a tool that will need an operator,” he said.

Ankit Anchlia, a 36-year-old software engineer based in Texas, has a similar philosophy.

“I know that AI tools are continually improving and can perform many of the same tasks that software engineers do, but I feel that software engineers who can embrace AI and develop new skills will be in demand,” he said.

To improve his AI skills, he said he uses ChatGPT and Claude to improve his code and identify potential bugs — he said this saves him anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the task.

Mastering AI might not be the only way to protect yourself

While becoming an AI expert could help workers increase their job security, not everyone relies on this approach to be successful.

Sainag Nethala, a 32-year-old technical account manager based in Illinois, uses ChatGPT, Claude, Grammarly, and Otter.ai to draft emails and reports, transcribe meetings, and proofread her writing . He estimated that these tools together save him about 10 to 15 hours a week.

While Nethala believes that increasing his productivity with artificial intelligence could help increase job security in the short term, he said he is also trying to develop other skills that are harder to automate.

“Things like reading between the lines with clients, finding creative solutions and understanding the nuances of different business needs,” he said. “I’m also always learning new technical skills to stay ahead of the curve.”

Have you used AI tools to become more productive at work? Are you willing to share your story? If so, contact this reporter at [email protected].