My first session with ChatGPT

I am guessing that most of you have heard recent news reports about the new chatbot, ChatGPT, that is vastly better than the phone trees and other insanely annoying AI chat experiences we have all grown to hate. Most of the news articles are along the line of “Oh no, our students will cheat and have AI write their papers for them!” Yeah whatever, it’s going to create bigger problems than that.

But hey, I could use a free therapist or life coach, so I decided to give it a try. Here’s the transcript, what do you think?

Me: Hi AI!

ChatGPT: “Hello! How can I help you today?“

Me: I thought I’d try this system to help me brainstorm about some stuff

ChatGPT: “Sure thing! I’d love to help you brainstorm. What’s on your mind that you’d like to discuss?“

Me: I heard that career satisfaction needs Autonomy, mastery and purpose. But with mine, I don’t feel like I actually have a clear result. I have autonomy, meaning I run my own business. I have mastery because I’m good at it; I’ve been doing it a long time. I think it’s useful for my clients – it’s helpful – I’m in a helping profession- that’s purpose, right? But I don’t have anything concrete that I created.

ChatGPT: “Yes, having autonomy, mastery, and purpose are key components to career satisfaction. It sounds like you have a good foundation in place, with autonomy in running your own business and mastery in your field.

While it’s true that having a tangible product or result can be satisfying, purpose can also come from making a positive impact in people’s lives. The fact that you’re in a helping profession and that you find fulfillment in being able to assist your clients is already a great source of purpose.

It’s also important to keep in mind that career satisfaction is a personal and subjective experience, and what brings satisfaction to one person may not bring satisfaction to another. Additionally, it’s okay to reassess and reevaluate your sense of purpose and satisfaction over time, and make changes as necessary to align with your values and goals.

If you’re still feeling unsure, it may be helpful to consider what it is that you want out of your career, and if there are any changes or adjustments you can make to your work or approach to better align with your values and sense of purpose. You can also talk to a career counselor or mentor for guidance.“

Me: You seem to be as good as most counselors or mentors, lol. The only thing you didn’t do was ask me about where else I can be creative in my life. I do have some creative pursuits but they don’t seem to be impactful. Just amusing myself. I would like to create or produce something more tangible than helping people, but just as important – by which I guess I mean, I would like to create something that is somehow important. In which case, I would need to define important. I guess important is anything that helps people or the world somehow. Do you have any ideas?

ChatGPT: “I’m glad I could provide helpful information! Yes, exploring other creative pursuits can be a great way to find a sense of purpose and fulfillment. When it comes to defining what’s “important,” that can be a highly personal and subjective matter.

One approach could be to look at areas that you’re passionate about or causes that you care deeply about, and see how you can use your skills and creativity to make a positive impact in those areas. For example, if you have a passion for sustainability, you could explore ways to use your creativity to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire change.

You could also consider ways to use your creativity to give back to your community or make a positive impact on the world. For example, you could volunteer your skills to support a local nonprofit organization, or use your creativity to bring attention to a social issue that you’re passionate about.

Another approach could be to explore creative pursuits that challenge you to grow and develop new skills. This can be a great way to find a sense of purpose and fulfillment, as well as to keep your creative pursuits feeling fresh and exciting.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to follow your interests and passions, and to focus on what brings you a sense of joy and fulfillment. If you can align your creative pursuits with making a positive impact on the world, all the better!“

Me: Those are useful ideas, but I think I’m looking for something more tangible than raising awareness. I already spend too much time generating ideas and encouraging people to change. There’s not enough agency in that. It’s actually rather helpless in a way. I want to provide something that doesn’t depend on other people’s growth or other people buying into what I’m saying. I’m tired of offering ideas. I want to offer something more solid. So I can say, if you want it, buy it. Any ideas for something more tangible?

ChatGPT: “I understand. It sounds like you’re looking for something more concrete and tangible that you can offer to others. Here are a few ideas that might help:

Product design: You could use your creativity to design a product that solves a problem or fills a need in the marketplace. This could be anything from a new type of tool or appliance to a unique piece of clothing or furniture.

Artistic creations: You could use your creativity to produce artwork or craft items that people can purchase. This could include paintings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, or other handmade items.

Digital products: With the rise of the internet and digital technology, there are many opportunities to create and sell digital products, such as e-books, online courses, software programs, or mobile apps.

Food or beverage products: If you have a passion for cooking or creating recipes, you could turn your creative talents into a business by creating and selling food or beverage products. This could include anything from baked goods and snacks to specialty sauces and spice blends.

Event planning and coordination: If you have a knack for organization and planning, you could offer your services as an event planner or coordinator, helping to plan and execute events such as weddings, parties, or corporate functions.

These are just a few ideas, and there are certainly many other possibilities. The most important thing is to find something that aligns with your skills, interests, and passions, and that you feel confident in offering to others.“

Me: Good job listing options. Again, the only thing I would have suggested to improve your responses, is you really should be trying to learn a little more about me so you can customize your answers to be more tailored to my skills and values. Also, it would be nice if I could come back to this. I wonder, do you answer just the most recent paragraph, or all of what I’ve said put together? And will I be able to pick up where I left off if I log in later after a couple of days? Us humans have to take some time to think. Thanks for your time

ChatGPT: “As an AI language model, I can only respond based on the information you provide in your most recent message. However, I am trained to process and understand context, so I can use previous messages as background information to better understand your current question.

Regarding your ability to pick up where you left off, it depends on the platform or website that you’re using to access me. Some platforms may allow you to save your conversation and return to it later, while others may not. I recommend checking the specific platform’s FAQ or contacting their support team for more information.

It’s my pleasure to assist you with any questions or brainstorming you need. Just let me know how I can help!“

Wow. So there you go. No amazing insights, but then, what did we expect from something trained to regurgitate from everything that’s sloshing around on the internet? It’s still quite impressively life-like, and it did get me thinking, which is the whole point of a brainstorming exercise.

To give it a try yourself: https://chat.openai.com/chat

In order to use the chatbot, you have to create a free account with email and phone number. And keep in mind, the researchers may read what you wrote and analyze how the AI responded – it’s not confidential. Have fun!

To send Kristina a comment, email turning51bykristina@gmail.com.

Kristina’s Website: Life Coaching for Adults with Autism