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Webinars for You 

• June 14: [INTERNET] Understanding Your Options in Cloud Storage and How to Find Your Files Easily [3 pm ET for 1 hour] 

• June 28: [EXCEL] Linking Data and Text Between Documents to Auto Update [3 pm ET for 1 hour] 

• July 12: [CANVA] Create Stunning Presentations with Canva and the MagicDesign Feature [3 pm ET for 1 hour]

• July 26: [WEB TOOL] Create Digital Flipbooks to Engage, Teach, Promote Key Messages [3 pm ET for 1 hour]

WEB TOOL - Having Fun with AI Platforms, Part II

Intermediate

Yes, last week we introduced the exploding AI technology and ChatGPT so that you could understand exactly what is new on the scene, along with the idea of "Generative" AI, the creation of new and original content. 

This article shows you some of the most popular platforms so you can get started using them!

Here's a quick link to that article: Exploring the Fascinating World of Artificial Intelligence.

Generative AI tools have recently been introduced to the public so that you can get inspiration, answers to questions, and content written for yourself. You can even create innovative images. 

You may have heard of ChatGPT or Bing Chat already, right? Well, there are even more platforms being launched every day based on the "TYPE of content" (text, images, code, audio, video) or by the "INDUSTRY" (marketing, finance, legal, film, medical). 

Type of Content

Text

To expand a bit on "type of content" -- you ask a question and the platform, using Generative AI, gives you a written response. For example, we asked Bing Chat: "Write a 4-line poem on sunflowers." See the response below:

TIP: See more detailed steps in using AI to generate text content in Part I of this article.

Images

Generative AI can also create new images … not just find them for you, but actually create a specific picture that you request. For example, we asked the Bing Image Creator to give us a "bear dancing in the woods wearing a green hat." Four different choices were returned (image to the right). You get to select one or all! Very powerful, wouldn't you say?

Video

Although AI-created video is limited right now, watch for more powerful tools, making video-creation easier, to come in the future. The concept is that you paste a script into the platform and either: 1) choose a template; a video will be created with corresponding images, or 2) select a presenter avatar and voice and the work is done for you!

Other Output Types – Industry Based

Depending on the industry you work in, there are specific Generative AI tools that help to create software code, audio, music and more. Be on the lookout for them.

Comparison of Some Generative AI Platforms

Many of these "chatbots" work in a similar manner. You ask a question or enter a desired content type and then results are given. Here is a simple guide for some of the popular (and easy-to-use) tools based on:

1. What They Are Best Used For (content, images, video...)
2. Usage Limitations 
3. Pricing

NOTE: There are new AI platforms launching each day … this list gives you a start!

* The new Bing is integrated with Chat GPT-4 (from OpenAI) and is the only way to use GPT-4 for free at this time. Microsoft claims the integration with this latest language model makes Bing, coupled with up-to-date Internet content, more powerful and accurate than ChatGPT alone. 

**As of June 2023, Microsoft updated Bing Image Creator using a more advanced version of DALL-E 2 (an OpenAI product).

Let's Take These Tools for a Ride

Focusing on Text and Image outputs, we asked each of these platforms the same question to get a feel for the quality of responses.

Text Output: We asked, "Give me a Title for a webinar on making cool videos."

Here are the responses (it was interesting that two returned one title and two gave several).

ChatGPT:

• "Mastering the Art of Creating Captivating Videos: Unleash Your Creativity and Wow Your Audience"

Bing Chat:

• "Making Cool Videos: Tips and Tricks for Beginners"
• "Creating Cool Videos: A Step-by-Step Guide"
• "How to Make Cool Videos That Stand Out"
• "Cool Video Ideas for Your Next Project"

Canva's Magic Write: 

• "Lights, Camera, Action: Mastering the Art of Making Cool Videos"

Google Bard:

• "How to Make Cool Videos That Stand Out"
• "The Ultimate Guide to Video Production"
• "10 Tips for Creating Engaging Videos"
• "How to Use Video to Promote Your Business"
• "The Future of Video Marketing"

Wow! We have several great choices from which to choose.

Custom Image Creation: We asked for an image of a “cow playing checkers with a pig”.

TIP: Remember, this is not an Internet search for an image, but each tool creates a new picture.

A final note on images. Many people ask if they can use AI-generated images as their own. AT THIS TIME, AI-generated images are free for commercial use. AI art does not have automatic copyright protection, and ownership cannot be claimed. This means that anyone can use AI art that is found online for any purpose.

Who owns the rights to ai-generated art? No one. AI is not a human being, and in U.S. copyright law, the author needs to be a human being.

Communications: Listening

Three Ways to Be A Good Listener

It's always easier to just talk than to listen, right? We like sharing our ideas and opinions. And when we are in a small group, we often do a lot of talking!

But interestingly enough, I saw a study that made me think about how much time we really do spend listening. Here's what it found:

• 9% of the day writing
• 16% reading
• 30% speaking
• 45% listening

OK, sure a lot of times, communication is one-directional such as listening to TV, watching a video, or sitting in on a Zoom call. That would make sense, right? But there are times when we are engaging in conversation and need to be great listeners.

Ways to Show You Are Listening

When someone is speaking to us, there are three types of things we can do to be an active participant in the conversation and show the speaker that we "get it" ... that we are listening.

1. Repeat. Pick a word or phrase that you heard, and repeat (or paraphrase) it. That quickly conveys that you heard something important.
2. Comment. Say just a short and simple idea to show you understand (like "right") or that you like what you heard ("absolutely") or that you're intrigued ("interesting").
3. Ask a Question. Building on what you hear, get clarification or ask for more.

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