Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look? It's based on a novel by a man named Lear And I need a job So I wanna be a paperback writer Paperback writer Paperback Writer by the Beatles
Feels appropriate to start my confession of a ChatGPT software writer with lyrics from the Beatles. Like the Beatles loved their instruments, I love tools and am fortunate to have collected a few over the years. I have the stone mason's chisel that helped build my childhood home in Louisville, Kentucky, and an antique pair of Wiss scissors Edward Scissorhands would envy that I used to cut aluminum siding while building our cabin on Nolin Lake, Kentucky.
Most recently, I inherited tools from my father-in-law and master woodworker, the late Richard Geige, a career handyman and an all-around good guy. I have a few of his power tools, like a planer and belt sander, but my prized tools are his small hand tools: pipe wrenches, a manual caliper, an awl, an antique hacksaw, and various pliers. I treasure the ones with his name engraved on them.
I love technology tools, too, especially software. I was an intern at IBM in 1982 when they introduced this thing they called a 'Personal Computer.' I'd been working with software on punch cards. The PC killed those awful cards. So when I landed at Duke's Fuqua School of Business, it was time to get my hands on a PC running a disk operating system (DOS) and Lotus 123. Technology hooked me then and drove much of what I do and love today.
I remember playing with something purported to be a 'machine learning' application back in the day, but I don't know the name. Whatever that primitive machine learning application, it was less advanced than a stone tablet and a rock compared to OpenAI's ChatGPT. A little late to the chatbot party, but now that I've arrived, I'm just as hooked as I was some 38 years ago.
My experience with ChatGPT has been focused primarily on one thing – helping me write software. I've asked a few random questions, but OpenAI's chatbot is helping me navigate the complexities of creating code, which has occupied much of my time and is so much faster and easier now that it's hard to explain. I've watched my share of sci-fi movies over the years. I caught 2001: A Space Odyssey a few years back at IMAX – and it was as stunning as I remembered. And I loved Ex Machina. To be clear, I have no illusions that ChatGPT will become sentient in my lifetime. This AI takeover many fear, and a claim by a Google engineer last year seems overblown. But I have found using ChatGPT feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend to help me navigate the intricacies of writing software.
I chose the word 'knowledgeable' on purpose. You can be smart and know things but lack wisdom. Beyond software, the world is full of humans in this category. I raise the distinction between knowledge and wisdom because separating knowledge, expertise, and wisdom is crucial, so we avoid believing that because a chatbot can answer questions, it is also wise and sentient. The rule holds for people too. Knowledge, expertise, and wisdom are different things that sometimes exist together, but because I can answer questions about software development and baking doesn't mean I know anything about weather prediction or physics.
I've used ChatGPT for a couple of projects writing code in Python to use in AWS Lambda and creating complex, query-based formulas for Google Sheets. In both cases, I am close to or finished with these projects. However, using ChatGPT dramatically cut the time required to complete these projects compared to using search and trial and error. ChatGPT is like using a draw knife versus a planer to create a flat board out of rough-cut lumber. ChatGPT is a game changer in getting work done faster and more efficiently.
Here are some things I learned that you want to keep in mind when you decide to use OpenAI's ChatGPT:
Memory ChatGPT sometimes 'forgets' modifications you have worked on together. Let's say you get ChatGPT's help fixing something, move on, then later have the chatbot rewrite the code. Sometimes OpenAI's large language model will not remember to add in the original fix. I copy and paste code into my integrated development environment (IDE) and save it as a Visual Studio Code (VSCode) revision. Revisions help you go back and keep you from straying off the path. ChatGPT has always been kind, admits the error, and rewrites the code, but you must watch for this memory issue.
Functions ChatGTP only sometimes knows the correct tasks in a software application. For example, it frequently suggested parts included in Excel but not in Google Sheets.
Best Answers While ChatGPT knows the technically correct answer most of the time, there may be better solutions than the AI answer. Avoid a rabbit hole that gets too small or leads to a dead end. For example, in my log parsing app, I asked how to store and manage keys to access the API endpoint. ChatGPT suggested Secrets Manager. I've used it, but not much. After fiddling around with this for a few hours, I realized that while it might work, there are better solutions for scale. I'll switch to something like DynamoDB for latency and scale.
IDE I am not using ChatGPT in my IDE. I prefer to keep my dev environment separate. Yes, I am paranoid, and in working on code, you'll often be entering potentially sensitive data. I sometimes still copy and paste code from my IDE to a text editor and give it a second look before pasting it into ChatGPT. Allowing ChatGPT to gather, store and act on sensitive data might be the elephant in the room.
Memory, Functions, Answers, and IDE are four areas that stand out to me now. I'm only getting started with ChatGPT and am sure that I'll uncover more nuances using this tool. I have made many mistakes over the years with hand tools, but fortunately have all my fingers and hope the same holds for using the latest AI. Rather than fear using AI in the future, I see it as a tool. And like any tool, OpenAI's chatbot gets used to create beauty or evil. I'm worried more about the humans trying to make decisions about the future of this tool because they will need expertise, knowledge, and wisdom. Time will tell.
As a cancer survivor, you learn that when most people say, "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you," they don't mean you should call upon them for help and support. I have friends who know me a little, usually through other friends such as the amazing Phil Buckley, who are those rare generous people who help first and worry about other things second. The only way you get through the Big C is thanks to the help of amazing doctors and the support and love of your friends and family, and I'm lucky enough to have amazing friends and family.
Recently I asked for help creating content for WTE.net because I knew treatment for my leukemia might make it hard for me to do my job, to share Eric and WTE's expertise, and create a community of engaged, passionate experts who look to help first and worry about everything else a distant second. Chris Duke, someone I know through the amazing Phil, offered to write a post about how he uses ChatGPT in his software development, helping me, WTE, and our readers at a time when I don't always feel like writing (and that is how you know I'm really sick :).
A fantastic doctor and team are treating me at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. John Byrd had already saved my life once when he was at Ohio State, so when my CLL returned with a vengeance a few months ago, my doctors at UNC and I sent up a flare asking for the Byrdman and his team to help again. Dr. Byrd may be at a new hospital, but the miracles he and his team created moved with him, and that is another way of saying the UC Health clinical trial I'm in is working.
This morning I thought about how our lives are interconnected. We stand on the strong shoulders of an army of people, from those who work on the car I drive to Cincinnati at Michael Jordan Nissan to the team at Newave Phrama who developed the drug that saves my life. Some people help first and worry about other stuff later.
Me with the Byrdman - Dr John Byrd at UC Health sorry I don't have a similar picture with Chris.
When I came out of retirement to work with Eric, Cynthia, and the talented marketing team at WTE Solutions, I saw an opportunity to find great experts like Phil and Chris and share what they're doing, care about, and working on. Then I got sick again, and asking for help became a practical necessity, so if you're a marketing, tech, or startups geek and are reading this wondering if you can help, if you are one of those, help first ask for other stuff second kind of a person. Please email me what tech or marketing content you'd like to contribute, and as we did with Chris and Phil, we'll add you as a contributor and publish your content with my thanks and WTE's support, and you'll help save my life too. Thanks, Martin
email: martin (at) wte.net Read my request for your help on LinkedIn.