Graeme Thickins on Tech

Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.

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Have you asked ChatGPT to write your resume or bio?

I got an inquiry from a reporter recently who wanted to know if myself or any of my colleagues could suggest good ChatGPT prompts to use to write a resume. (I sent her to one of my contacts who’s into career counseling, thinking he might weigh in.) I had nothing to offer her myself, but her request got me wondering… what would happen if I asked this all-knowing, all-seeing platform to write a bio for me. I don’t need no stinking resume, but bios — yeah, they’re cool. I’ve had to write them in the past in several lengths for various purposes.

AI-generated image of robot writing flowery language

Robot writing flowery language, created by me using OpenAI’s DALL-E.

So I did just that – submitted my request to ChatGPT. I figured, being that my online presence now spans some 28 years, including tons of writing over that time, 20 years on LinkedIn (as of this summer), and 16 years on Twitter (along with other sundry social-media sites I care less about), this surely should not be a big deal for the current King of AI to handle, right? It has total, complete access to that online presence of mine (at least through the fall of 2021).

Well, I found out quickly. It took only seconds to get results. I tried several approaches — asking for bio lengths of 300, 200, and 100 words. And I made it a point after my first tries to reference LinkedIn and Twitter in my prompt, thinking that surely would provide more grist for the mill, wouldn’t you think? (Well, the results didn’t change much that I could discern — which surprised me.)

Anyway, below is the first one I got — the 300-word version. (It’s actually 366, so apparently ChatGPT doesn’t know how to count – haha!) What got me was how over-the-top gushy it was! I would never be able to write one like this myself. It reminds me of the types of author bios that publishers put on book jackets… you know, to make the person sound like he/she walks on water? And, surprisingly, it contains no specific details or references about my background — just a bunch of flowery language:

Graeme Thickins is a renowned marketing strategist, prolific writer, and influential industry figure who has left an indelible mark on the world of marketing. With an extensive online history, a wealth of writings, and a stellar reputation, Graeme has established himself as a trusted authority and sought-after resource in the field.

Through his blog, articles, and social media presence, Graeme has consistently shared valuable insights, trends, and thought-provoking ideas, showcasing his deep knowledge and expertise in marketing strategy. His writings cover a wide range of topics, including brand management, digital marketing, integrated campaigns, and market research, among others. Graeme’s ability to distill complex concepts into accessible and engaging content has garnered a significant following and earned him a reputation as a thought leader in the marketing community.

Known for his strategic mindset and analytical approach, Graeme has a keen eye for identifying emerging market trends and consumer behaviors. He combines this astute understanding with his extensive experience to craft innovative marketing strategies that drive results. His knack for blending traditional and digital marketing channels has garnered attention, and his campaigns have consistently delivered impressive outcomes for the organizations he has worked with.

Beyond his writings and marketing expertise, Graeme’s reputation is also built on his collaborative nature and willingness to help others succeed. He actively engages with his audience, offering guidance, mentorship, and constructive feedback. His generosity in sharing his knowledge and insights has earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and industry peers alike.

Graeme’s reputation extends to speaking engagements and industry events where he shares his expertise and experiences. His presentations are renowned for their practicality, delivering actionable takeaways that resonate with attendees. He is often sought after as a speaker, panelist, and workshop facilitator due to his ability to educate, inspire, and empower marketing professionals at all levels.

In summary, Graeme Thickins is a highly respected marketing strategist, accomplished writer, and influential industry figure. Through his online history, extensive writings, and sterling reputation, he has proven his ability to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape and consistently deliver impactful results. His dedication to knowledge sharing and fostering professional growth has made him a trusted resource and an invaluable asset to the marketing community.

But, damn, I sure sound like an impressive guy, huh? And it didn’t cost me a dime.

Ain’t AI great?  Well now, wait a minute — let’s hold off deciding that …

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p.s.  By the way, it’s interesting that HR people already have ways to defeat AI-written resumes. Humans win again!

“Expose ChatGPT Resumes and Uncover Real Talent Using These 5 Effective Strategies”
https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/expose-chatgpt-resumes-and-uncover-real-talent-using-these/448146

 

My 2023 Predictions Post

I asked AI to help me peer into the future. As is my custom, that resulted in me doing my top ten predictions:

robot contemplating the future

Robot contemplating the future, created by me using OpenAI’s DALL-E.

1) I predict, as things move so quickly these days, it will become much more common to see monthly predictions posts popping up. A year is now like a decade.

2) For the first year ever, there will be more articles written about AI than the number of orders of fries McDonalds will sell.

3) More than 60% of Americans will pay no income tax — oh, wait, that’s already the case.

4) Elon Musk will be richer at the end of the year than he is now. But he won’t care.

5) Twitter will go public (again), which will restart the IPO market. The media will refuse to give Elon Musk credit for that, but, you guessed it, he won’t care.

6) The NFL will end the year with more money than God — but God, not a huge football fan, will demand a recount.

7) The number of minutes of commercials on the average NFL game will be more than double the number of actual game minutes.

8) Gopher football will lose to Iowa again. (Kirk Ferentz beats PJ Fleck like a rented mule.)

9) I will not stop talking about football.

10) I might stop doing predictions posts.

p.s. Okay, wanna see what AI would really predict for 2023? Here’s a fun piece from a UK site:
We Made AI Predict What Will Happen In 2023, Here’s What It Said.

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UPDATE 1/2/23:
Speaking of restarting the IPO market, I see Forbes just published a piece naming their picks for companies that are likely to go public in 2023. They don’t have the balls to pick Twitter, as I do — haha! But one of theirs has Elon’s name all over it: SpaceX. There you go — one of the reasons why I said Elon will be richer at the end of the year! I posted the Forbes piece in my new Flipboard magazine, “IPO COMEBACK.”

I Couldn’t Help Myself – I Did It Again

When you sign up for a one-year subscription to the Lensa App (yes, I got sucked into that), you are naturally gonna want to have them fire up their generative AI technology more than once to create additional avatars — at least when you have some down time. (See my last blog post, Generative AI Made Me Do It.)

After all, Lensa says every batch of headshots or selfies you send in will get you different results — even from the same set of photos! So, what the heck, when I had an idle moment during Christmas week, I dug out some additional shots of me, myself, and I, then hit the button to upload them. And, ta-dah, the results are below — which seemed to come through faster this time, by the way.

Note I did not submit any shots that had a Christmas or winter theme, but the smarty-pants AI at Lensa found a way to get into the spirit of the season. Pretty fun. (But then I’m easily amused.)

I hope this second post shows you more of what this amazing technology is capable of doing,  in this wild new realm of generative art. And just think, what will the next version of the technology behind this app (GPT-4) bring us when it comes out?

By the way, a belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you!

Nine avatars of Graeme

Generative AI Made Me Do it

Having lived through countless cycles of artificial intelligence hype (I mean promise) over the last few decades, I naturally couldn’t avoid getting sucked into the latest hotness: generative AI. The attention this new flavor is getting lately is almost deafening. And that includes tons of startup funding and rich valuations in recent months, both of which have been declining in other sectors of the technology industry (to say the least).

With my insatiable curiosity for all things tech, I’ve been seeing and reading a lot about generative AI, both as it applies to written content and to art. (You can read some  articles I curate regularly on this topic here.) In particular, I was struck by what the latest version of the popular  Lensa app was doing — specifically, offering AI-generated avatars for anyone willing to sign up on its app and pay a nominal fee. You just submit 10-20 selfie or portrait shots of your mug, and — voila! — get back a whole bunch of AI-generated avatars. Most are what I’d call photo-like illustrations. Actually, it wasn’t all that “voila” — it takes a while for Lensa’s computers to generate these things. Hours for me. I suppose it greatly depends on how many people are signing up on a given day.

Anyway, most of the 200 that I got back were… well, the word crap comes to mind. But I pulled out six that were kinda nice. And, ta-dah, here they are — how generative AI sees Graeme. (Yes, this is an entirely self-absorbed post!) Continue reading

This ‘Office Is Over’ Thing Has Been Coming for a Long Time

Marketwatch article headline

Article headline today (a recurring theme).

The media wants to make a huge deal about how going to work in an office is suddenly becoming passé — the media being mostly centered in New York City, I might add, which also happens to be the largest commercial real estate market in the U.S. But like many things the media gets wrong (or gets late), this trend has been going on for years. Especially for knowledge workers and those who work in the tech industry. They may try to pin it on “upstarts” like Airbnb and its cheeky CEO, Brian Chesky, in articles like this.

photo of Brian CheskyBut we all know this mentality, if you will, has been reality for millions of people for a decade or more.

I’ve been saying for years — ask my friends — that “my office is wherever my MacBook Pro is.” I don’t say it to be funny. It’s simply the truth.

Apple MacBook Pro M1

MacBook Pro M1 by Martin Katler via Unsplash

It’s a prime reason I’ve been an active investor in $AAPL for decades. That was even before it produced its first laptop — which, for you younger types, was called the PowerBook. It was life-altering.

That was my first Apple laptop, and I’ve owned more laptops from my favorite company than I can count since then. (Yes, I keep upgrading to the latest and best.) So, as a self-employed business

Apple Powerbook photo

Apple Powerbook, early 1990s – photo by Everyday Basics via Unsplash

owner, I’ve been doing this “office is anywhere” thing for a long, long time. Which makes me find this latest lament about the demise of the office to be quite amusing.

And who doesn’t get that this mentality/reality is hugely less costly than an office lease?

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p.s. To those of you who were smart enough to invest in $ABNB early on, my hat is off to you. Because it has certainly enabled a large part of the movement away from the traditional office, as it continues to do. And it has created no less than an industry of its own at the same time, enriching legions of property entrepreneurs.

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