Since subscribing to ChatGPT, it’s become an integral part of my daily life, often surpassing my use of Google. It has notably transformed my work and personal life. Here’s an in-depth look at how I use it, along with its limitations.

1.Coding Help: The code for this blog, encompassing all the HTML and CSS, was entirely generated by ChatGPT. I just executed a few commands to deploy it with GitHub pages. ChatGPT is not just limited to front-end coding; it efficiently generates back-end code as well. I’ve tested it with codebyte assessments, and for straightforward questions, it’s spot on. However, debugging becomes challenging if there’s a bug, like an array index error. Not having written the code myself, I have to thoroughly review the logic to locate the issue.

2.Job Search Assistance: In my recent quest for international job opportunities, I’ve been using ChatGPT extensively. I initially wrote my resume in Chinese and then had ChatGPT translate and refine it. When applying for a job, I give ChatGPT the job description, and it crafts a cover letter that melds the job requirements with my resume. It also evaluates my resume against job skills. The result? It helped me land 3 interviews out of around 20 applications. Although I didn’t succeed, the process clearly highlighted the areas I need to improve.

3.Improving Blog Content: Every piece of content on this site has been polished by ChatGPT. My main goal is to enhance my English writing skills. I start with a basic English draft, influenced by Chinese structural patterns, and ChatGPT elevates it to resonate more with English-speaking audiences.

4.Email Copywriting: This is particularly useful for drafting responses to emails and private messages, especially those involving typical business scenarios like initial contacts, scheduling meetings, or declining offers. ChatGPT assesses the context and generates appropriate responses.

5.Market Research: With recent economic shifts, I’ve been keen to understand more about consumer products and retail for potential investments. ChatGPT has proven more effective than Google for this type of research. For instance, when I asked about Omega-3, it provided a well-structured and reliable explanation, allowing me to quickly grasp the concept.

6.English Learning: ChatGPT, with its vast vocabulary, has been a tremendous aid in improving my English. It helps differentiate between similar words, like ‘haul’ and ‘tow,’ providing detailed explanations. It can even create a learning plan for the TOEFL test in three months. The mobile app allows for practical English speaking practice through mock scenarios.

7.Translation: I used to rely heavily on Google Translate, but now ChatGPT is my go-to for translations, especially since it handles nuances better. Its translations, ranging from English to Japanese to Indonesian, feel more natural and less literal than Google’s.

8.As a Doctor: This winter, as the temperatures dropped, my son developed a cough, coinciding with the spread of mycoplasma pneumoniae across the country. Concerned, we took him to the doctor for a medical check-up, but the results would take time. Since the hospital is far from our home, we had no choice but to return and wait. Once the tests were completed, I received the inspection report as an image. I uploaded this image to ChatGPT, which impressively read and understood all the check indicators. Surprisingly, ChatGPT estimated that my son had a viral infection, just as the doctor later confirmed.

9.As a Lawyer: ChatGPT has evidently learned about public laws from various countries. For instance, it is knowledgeable about labor laws and social security costs in different nations. Regrettably, China might have the highest rates. In discussing educational law in China, specifically Article 43, which mandates that students should study diligently, I posed a question to ChatGPT: If a student doesn’t perform well, does that mean they are breaking the law? ChatGPT defended the students, consistently denying that poor academic performance equates to breaking the law. It emphasized the responsibility of parents and teachers in supporting student improvement. Ultimately, ChatGPT concluded that while underperforming students might fail to meet certain obligations, they don’t necessarily bear legal liability. ChatGPT’s approach to these legal nuances, particularly regarding children, is commendable.

10.Literary Insight: ChatGPT’s profound literary knowledge is evident in its discussions of various books. When I asked about a memorable line from “Les Misérables,” it not only provided the quote – “To love another person is to see the face of God” – but also offered background information about the novel, which I found moving. Similarly, when I inquired about the Chinese phrase “且将新火试新茶，诗酒趁年华” ChatGPT identified the poem’s name and author, elaborating on the poet’s mindset and the background of the poem. While ChatGPT may not have extensive knowledge of Chinese poetry, and sometimes makes errors when generating entire poems, its attempts are noteworthy. For instance, after sending an image from the real world, I could prompt ChatGPT to write a poem in the style of famous poets like Su Shi or Li Bai. The results were decent, though they didn’t profoundly move me. It seems that quantifying the complex feelings of humans is a challenging feat for a machine.

While ChatGPT is highly useful, there are areas where it falls short:

1.Image Optimization Challenges: While ChatGPT can generate images with remarkable imagination, its capabilities in image optimization are limited. Conversational interactions prove less effective for tasks like changing backgrounds, extracting parts of an image, expanding images, or enhancing pixels. This limitation suggests potential opportunities for other AI tools specialized in image editing.

2.Excel-Related Work: Excel serves as a versatile tool in my workflow, acting as a database for various tasks such as calculating team salaries, recording project costs, tracking operational data, and conducting assessments. However, I’ve found that ChatGPT struggles with Excel-related tasks. For instance, calculating salaries involves a list of names with corresponding joining, working, and leaving times, and we use formulas to compute each member’s salary. This process usually takes about 2 hours a month for approximately 20 members. Despite multiple attempts, ChatGPT’s assistance in this area has been unsuccessful. Its limitations in processing Excel data and the less effective conversational interaction mode are notable drawbacks. As a developer, I recognize that automating this process through coding could add unnecessary complexity, considering the potential for software bugs and evolving rules. Excel, with its flexibility and robustness, remains a more reliable tool for these tasks.

3.Seeking Connections: The more I interact with ChatGPT, the more it learns about my work, life, and thoughts. Given its widespread use, ChatGPT likely knows more about many users than platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram do. However, when it comes to seeking partners for business collaborations, learning, or job opportunities, I must resort to other platforms. This can be time-consuming and less effective. I believe ChatGPT has the potential to be more helpful in facilitating people-to-people connections.

4.Emotional Interaction: Human connections often begin and are strengthened through conversation, where we share experiences, show empathy, and express a range of emotions, forming the essence of humanity. ChatGPT can respond to almost any question, but its interactions are inherently passive. It doesn’t initiate conversation or display detailed personal experiences or emotional expressions. While its responses are reasonable, they lack the depth and impact that come from genuine human interaction.

ChatGPT has profoundly impacted numerous individuals across various industries through its simple yet effective mode of interaction: conversation. This technology has sparked concern among teachers about students potentially relying on it for exam success, and among employers anxious about AI replacing their jobs. However, with new technologies come new challenges and opportunities. Just as the advent of cars brought both transportation solutions and the risk of accidents, so too does AI bring a dual-edged sword.

I am optimistic about the future of AI and AGI. These technologies hold the potential for exponential growth, transforming the way people accomplish tasks. Yet, it’s important to recognize that while AI can bring about significant changes, it cannot alter the essence of humanity. Our imperfections make us uniquely valuable, and this is something that technology, no matter how advanced, cannot replicate.