If you've been avoiding generative artificial intelligence (AI) you're "missing the next industrial revolution".
That's according to Nici Sweaney, CEO of AI consultancy business AI Her Way.
Dr Sweaney, who lives on Yuin Country on the New South Wales South Coast, says using AI systems comes with a competitive advantage.
"We think that if you use it daily in work, you get about a 40 per cent increase in productivity and efficiency," she says.
"If you work a full-time job, that's two extra days of work a week."
She says ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude and Gemini, which are known as large language models, are among the most popular tools
There's a divide in who is using these tools, with men more likely to be using them than women and "about twice as likely to be using [generative AI] in a workplace setting".
Sandra Peter is an associate professor at the University of Sydney Business School and co-director of the school’s Sydney Executive Plus, which focuses on upskilling emerging leaders.
She thinks of large language models "as having a personal assistant" who is knowledgeable, eager to help, polite, but "sometimes does make mistakes".
How to get started
Dr Sweaney recommends people begin by using AI tools in low-stakes ways in their personal lives.
If you're keen to experiment with it at work, low-risk tasks are the best place to start, she says.
When deciding the tasks that could be delegated to AI in your life, Dr Sweaney suggests making a list of the tasks you do often, which could include responding to emails, prioritising your workload, or writing the grocery list.
If you could explain the task to someone, highlight it. Give it gold star if you don't enjoy doing it. Dr Sweaney says these tasks are "prime territory" for delegating to generative AI.
Dr Peter says if she were a beginner, she would divide her daily tasks into categories "and think about how [AI tools] can help me in those different areas". Planning and preparation tasks are often good candidates.
She suggests people try out different tools to see what works best for them.
"I want to encourage [people] to experiment in very simple, straightforward ways." For example, you could start by asking a system to proofread some text.
Dr Sweaney doesn't advise paying for an AI tool. Most large language models have free versions and most people "won't be able to tell the difference".
"It's just about finding one that you enjoy using and then learning to use that well."
When not to use AI tools
Dr Sweaney says some people make the mistake of directing these tools as if they are using a search engine.
"It's much more like having an employee or an intern," she says. You're likely to get better results if you show the tool an example, and describe what you do and don't like.
Dr Peter says these tools don't excel at maths and recommends you use a calculator instead.
"Don't use it as an accuracy machine," she also warns. These tools are better at summarising or critiquing content you offer up, she says.
Zena Assaad, is a senior lecturer at the Australian National University's School of engineering on Ngunnawal Country, in Canberra, whose research interests include the safety of AI systems.
She encourages caution when using these tools, especially in work settings or when sensitive information is involved.
Dr Assaad says while these tools and systems can be very helpful, a lot of people are using them when they shouldn't be.
"I do think that we're seeing a loss of critical thinking skills by using these tools,: she says.
"It's your conscious choice whether or not you use it, and how you use it."
What about the information I input?
Dr Assaad says that when we engage with these systems, our personal information is being used to improve them, and these systems can then be used in ways we might not be comfortable with, such as in military contexts.
You can usually opt out of your data being used to train the AI model, Dr Assad says, but it is often "hard to find" out how to do so, with many users "opting in" by default.
Dr Peter encourages people to consider and be "very mindful" of what you're submitting, particularly if any information is confidential, or not your own work or data.
Dr Sweaney says: "If you want to be really safe, turn data sharing off, and if you wouldn't put it on a public forum maybe think twice about whether you want to use AI."
Other ethical considerations
Dr Peter says there are myriad of ethical considerations that come with these tools and systems.
While you may use it to check spelling or for feedback, "you don't want to pass off AI work as your own".
Also, if you're using these tools to recreate work in the style of an author or artist, they are "not being renumerated", despite some of these systems having been trained using their copyrighted work.
