The Age of CoPilot and AI

In today’s tech-driven world, AI is a hot topic of conversation. Whether you’re excited about its potential or have reservations, there’s no denying that AI offers numerous opportunities to streamline tasks and boost productivity. However, it’s essential to remember that while AI can be incredibly helpful, it’s not infallible. Join us as we delve into some of the ways we harness AI’s power and explore important considerations to keep in mind along the way.

How to think about AI?

Unlike traditional computer programs, we like to think of Copilot more as another entity you’re having a conversation with. It incorporates probabilistic calculations rather than deterministic algorithms. This distinction is crucial in understanding its role, whether as a creator, reviewer, or collaborator in various tasks.

Prompting

The interaction with Copilot resembles a conversation, where refining prompts is essential to elicit desired responses. However, it’s important to recognize that Copilot’s output may not always be accurate, like conversing with another individual. Don’t get frustrated by the first response and instead refine your question or prompt until you get the desired information back.

Content creation

Marc recently decided to enlist the help of AI for drafting a segment of the Sympraxis newsletter. However, the output was not exactly what he had hoped for. The AI had conjured up details about two new employees, several new awards, and a handful of new clients, none of which were accurate. While the AI’s eagerness to please was evident, it had completely fabricated information. This experience serves as a reminder that while AI can be an incredible ally in content creation, human oversight is integral.

Coding assistance

Copilot functions similar to the concept of paired programming when using it for coding assistance. You can leave comments within your code that GitHub Copilot will then read and suggest additional coding options. Again, some of these suggestions are incredibly helpful… some are not.

Some AIs to check out

Image of the various AI options categorized by their bespoke uses

There are a ton of different AI tools, some for more bespoke uses than ChatGPT or Copilot. While some specialize in image and video generation, open-source LLMs offer a wide array of capabilities, catering to your diverse needs.

Moral of the story?

We must highlight the importance of “trust but verify” when leveraging AI. While AI is undeniably an invaluable resource, it differs from a calculator, which consistently yields precise results. AI’s capacity for creativity adds a dynamic element to its output but also underscores the need for scrutiny.

All Resources

Do you have any questions for us? Continue the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #AskSympraxis and mention @SympraxisC.