My AI Sidekick: The Good, the Bad, and the Surprisingly Human
In my last post, I mentioned that I'm using AI tools – primarily Google's Gemini – for business mentoring and all-around assistance in my 60-day challenge to launch The Book Whisperer. This blog delves a bit deeper into how that's actually working.
To be clear once again: I'm not a tech expert. I'm a book lover, a charity worker, and a very inexperienced entrepreneur. The idea of using AI raises conflicting feelings in me. On one hand I’m concerned about what this technology will mean for the future of work and for the value we derive from it. On the other, the genie is out of the bottle. No amount of bemoaning the negative consequences will turn back the tide. I’ve realised I needed to embrace this technology, not fear it. With the right approach, AI can be an incredibly powerful tool that provides opportunities for anyone with big ideas but limited time and technical skill.
Much more than a search engine
I picked Gemini as the lead collaborator on this project. To be absolutely clear, I have no affiliation with Google and chose to use this tool because I use their products in other parts of my life. I wanted to use something that integrated easily with the apps I currently work with. Other tools are available and I’d strongly advise that you try them out before deciding what works best for you.
Working on The Book Whisperer has shown me that Gemini (and similar AI tools) have huge potential on a number of fronts.
Creative Partner: Stuck for product ideas? Need a catchy name for your business or online community? Gemini generated dozens of options in seconds.
Research Assistant: Need to find suppliers, compare pricing, or research market trends? Gemini sifted through vast amounts of information and presented it in a digestible format.
Writing Coach: Struggling with website copy or a blog post? Gemini has drafted initial text based on my outline specification which I then edit to ensure it reflects my voice.
Business Advisor: Need help understanding the trade offs in being a sole trader as opposed to a limited company? Want to know how to price your products? Gemini can provide surprisingly detailed and helpful advice - including when to consult a human expert.
Time Manager: I have asked for help to work out which are the most pressing tasks to undertake in which order to best use my time.
The key is in the prompts
The most important lesson I've learned is that getting the most out of Gemini (or any AI) depends on the prompts you give it. It's like having a conversation with a very clever, but sometimes overly literal, friend. You need to be clear, specific, and provide enough context for it to understand what you're looking for.
This is my first prompt. I knew I wanted to start a business and wanted some help in generating ideas. I asked Gemini:
"I have a little money and some time to invest in developing passive income streams. I do not wish to jump on a bandwagon or to buy into a dubious scheme. Can you generate ideas for innovative approaches to achieving a modest passive income?"
Everything that I’ve done subsequently has stemmed from that prompt. Iteration has been really important for me - seeking clarification, asking for opinions on my ideas and, I can’t stress this enough, challenging when something doesn’t seem right.
It's not perfect or foolproof
Gemini isn't perfect. It sometimes gets things wrong (dates, in particular, have been a recurring challenge) and we have abandoned some tasks where it did not seem we could reach a satisfactory outcome. It can occasionally get stuck in repetitive loops and it definitely needs my guidance to ensure any writing sounds like me (I still do a fair amount of editing). I see the interaction as a process of refinement.
It has also needed plenty of time to complete more complex tasks. The biggest job so far has been to produce lists of books categorised in a variety of different ways. I knew what I was looking for and imposed some fairly specific constraints. The task would have eaten up a big chunk of my self-imposed 60 days of initial effort. It took Gemini quite a bit longer than it originally estimated. Further prompts were needed from me to ‘chase’ agreed deliverables. In one sense this is when the experience has come closest to working with another person. Gemini is as guilty as I can be of under-communicating progress and then apologising for missed deadlines. I have found this endearing and surprisingly human.
Finally, I need to remember that it is not the right tool for every job. I spent half a day with Gemini researching how to specify a technology requirement with a view to getting a developer to quote for the work. I then found that the solution was available for free and I managed to fix the issue in less than an hour. Gemini went along with me when I assumed I needed to build a solution. A Youtube search solved the issue for me.
Having said all of this, the benefits have far outweighed the drawbacks. I’d estimate that it’s saved me well over a hundred hours of research, it’s helped me overcome creative blocks, and given me the confidence to tackle tasks I would have previously found too daunting to make a start on.
So these are my first impressions. I will, I’m certain, add to them as we go on.
And now for something different
Today I’m publishing two blogs. The one you’re reading and one from my collaborator. I asked Gemini for its perspective on the experience so far, and you can find the response here. I found this a really interesting take, although I take the feedback with a pinch of salt.
I have opened comments on this blog, and would be fascinated to hear other perspectives on the experience of working with AI tools.
