Welcome Lifesavers Superhero!
The 411 of AI
How I use AI for communication and influence.
Artificial Intelligence is like a hammer.
When it comes to AI, there has been a lot of hype in the media and popular culture. Some portray AI as an existential threat to humanity, a Frankenstein's monster that will turn against its creators. Others view it as the next stage of human evolution that will help solve all our problems.
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The reality is that AI is simply a very powerful tool – not unlike a basic hammer. A hammer in the right hands is incredibly useful for building homes, furniture, fences and countless other constructions that improve our lives. In skilled hands, a hammer is a powerful tool use to help create things of beauty and utility.
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However, a hammer in the wrong hands can truly scary if its used as a weapon. It can smash windows, dent cars, or worse, cause serious harm to people. The power of the hammer to build or destroy depends entirely on the intentions of the person wielding it.
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AI is no different. In the hands of responsible developers working toward beneficial goals, AI has the potential to be an amazing force for good in fields like scientific research, medical diagnostics, renewable energy, communications, and so much more. This "hammer" can build wonders.
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But like any transformative technology, AI also carries risks if misused or developed without careful ethical considerations.
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Concentration of too much power in the wrong hands, embedding of harmful biases and values into AI systems, or letting advanced AI capabilities get ahead of our ability to control them could potentially cause immense damage – whether intentional or not.
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The ethical development of AI is one of the great challenges and responsibilities of our time. We must be clear-eyed about both the potential upsides and risks. We cannot be naive, but we also must not give in to unreasonable fears or negative hypotheticals run amok.
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Fundamentally, AI is a tool – an extremely powerful hammer. It is up to us to be the skilled craftspeople, wisely using this transformative technology to build a better world for all of humanity. With responsible development and the right intentions, the possibilities of what we can construct are breathtaking.
I'm just a guy learning how to use this amazing tool trying to save lives.
I'm not an engineer or a computer programmer. I just a guy working in the Traffic Safety world. I'm a former Kansas City, Missouri Police Officer and a former professional mascot. I run our local DUI Task Force and our local Buckle Up Montana Coalition. I'm a CPST and I help family learn about their car seats.
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In the safe systems approach, I'm spend most of my time working in the "Safe Road Users" section. I use AI to help generate content to proactively influence road uses to choose safer options.
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I also use AI to help me generate content that empowers people. I don't want to "Tell" people what to do. I want to help them discover, for themselves, what is the safest option. Then I want try and help them feel empowered enough to choose that option.
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For example, instead of "Telling" a kid to wear their seat belt or they are going to get a ticket, because I know that nobody really likes to be "Told" what to do, I instead try to ask questions. Questions where the only logical answer is something along the lines of, "Well, I'd wear my seat belt."
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So how do I use AI to accomplish this. Here's an example using a text based generative AI platform (i.e., ChatGPT, Claude3, Gemini, Copilot, Pi, etc.)
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I ask AI to "Compose 5 messages to encourage teens to wear a seatbelt."
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AI produces this, as an example: Buckling up saves lives. Make sure you and all your friends are wearing seatbelts every time you get in a car.
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Notice that it's a "Telling" statement. This statement may produced a feeling of "Don't tell me what to do" for the teen. If this happens they may choose to avoid wearing their seat belt for no other reason than they were "Told" to wear one. This is called Psychological Reactance.
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So, to avoid the Psychological Reactance, I then ask AI to, "Rephrase that in the form of a question."
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AI then produces something like. "Have you thought about how you might be able to inspire others by always wearing a seatbelt? What might that look like for you?"
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Now I have something to work with. Something that won't insult a teens intelligence. A question that hopefully empowers them to want to wear their seatbelt because they see how their behavior and choices might influence their friend and they want their friends to be safe.
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Holly cow! Is that better then telling them to wear a seatbelt or they might get a ticket?
Images & Videos
I use AI to also generate images that tell a story.
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Here's an image I generated and then Photoshopped onto a photo I took of some "Free" Car seats on the curb. I then had AI help me write an impactful blog post to help inform families and our community about the dangers of "Free" car seats from the curb.
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Read the Blog Post here: The Hidden Dangers of Used Car Seats: A Matter of Child Safety
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Oh, and if you haven't guessed it...all of the images here have been AI generated. Even the photo above of the girl wearing a seatbelt. She's not real. I didn't have to get a photo release, there's no copyright issues. I didn't have to hire a photographer or a model. I simply entered in a "Text Prompt" asking AI to generate the image. Boom! Review (Human Oversite), Copy, Paste, Post!
Email Replies - What, you haven't tried this yet?
In today's fast-paced world, staying on top of your email inbox can be a daunting task. Fortunately, the advent of AI-powered email assistants has made it easier than ever to manage your communication efficiently. By leveraging the power of AI, you can streamline your email responses, saving time and reducing the mental load of crafting replies.
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Benefits of Using AI for Email Replies:
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1. Time-saving: AI can quickly generate relevant and contextual replies, eliminating the need to write each response from scratch
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2. Consistency: AI ensures a consistent tone and style across all your email communication, maintaining a professional and cohesive voice.
3. Personalization: AI can tailor responses based on the recipient's preferences, fostering a more personalized experience.
4. Increased productivity: With AI handling email replies, you can focus your time and energy on more strategic tasks.
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Step-by-Step Guide to Using AI for Email Replies:
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1. Choose an AI platform: Research and select an AI platform like ChatGPT, Claude3, or Gemini that aligns with your needs. Note that if you use Gmail, Google's Gemini might be best. If you use Outlook, perhaps Microsoft's Copilot with ChatGPT might be best and they may even integrate seamlessly with your email client.
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2. Compose your email: When drafting a new email or replying to an existing one, the AI assistant will provide suggested responses based on the context and content of the email thread.
4. Review and refine: Carefully review the AI-generated response and make any necessary edits or additions to ensure it accurately conveys your intended message.
5. Send the email: Once you're satisfied with the response, send the email as you normally would.
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Important Consideration: Protecting Personal and Private Information
When using AI for email replies, it's crucial to exercise caution when sharing personal or private information. AI assistants should never be provided with sensitive data, such as login credentials, financial information, or confidential documents. Always review the generated responses to ensure they do not inadvertently disclose any sensitive information. I won't even put in a person's full name. I'll just use their first name to help AI understand who they might be replying to.
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By leveraging the power of AI email assistants, you can streamline your communication while maintaining a professional and personalized touch. Embrace this technology to boost your productivity and free up time for more meaningful tasks, all while keeping your personal and private information secure.
