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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- AI has become an integral part of many people’s working lives.
- It presents unique opportunities and risks for each role, though.
- It can still be helpful to know how others are using the tech.
Like the internet and smartphones before it, AI has gone from flashy new tech trend to an indispensable part of many people’s day-to-day lives. But the use of chatbots, agents, and other AI tools presents as many risks as it does rewards — especially at work.
Rather than being a one-size-fits-all solution, AI will likely deliver distinct benefits to particular industries and jobs. It’ll therefore be the responsibility of every individual to figure out how the technology fits within the unique contours and requirements of their particular role. The watchwords of the hour when it comes to the use of AI at work are experimentation and adaptation, not copy and paste.
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That said, it can be helpful to know where, how, and why other people are using AI, even if they’re in a completely different job category or even industry. Not every new tool or use-case will be applicable to every job, but keeping an eye on broader AI trends, and how these are reshaping everyday people’s working lives, can boost the likelihood that we’ll figure out the best way to adapt to the technology — and not be outcompeted by someone more savvy.
With all that in mind, and as we prepare to greet what will undoubtedly be a year of even more rapid technological change, here are three tips for using AI at work:
1. Try NotebookLM for multimedia learning
Google’s NotebookLM is a powerful tool for anyone who prefers auditory or visual learning over having to read long, dense documents. You can upload PDFs, Google Docs, website links, or other materials and easily generate, for example, a podcast-style Audio Overview or infographic. It’s a great way to wrap your mind around the basics of a new subject or organize your talking points for an upcoming presentation.
Remember that every cognitive shortcut has its price: Allow yourself to get too dependent upon NotebookLM, and you could very well wind up with only a superficial understanding of the subject matter you’re supposed to master in your role, like a student who relies on CliffNotes instead of reading and wrestling with the source material itself.
2. Use Otter.ai for (generally) reliable transcripts
I’ve been using Otter.ai for years to turn audio recordings into transcripts, and I’m continually impressed by its usefulness and clean, clutter-free UI. I’m a journalist, which means I rely on transcripts more than the average person, but it’s still a valuable tool for anyone who joins a lot of work meetings on a particular day and likes to have a record of those calls to consult afterwards.
Upload the file of the recording, and Otter’s algorithm will turn it into a transcript, which you can then edit, download in a number of formats, and share with others. (Pro tip: make sure you know the relevant state laws before you record someone speaking; as a general rule, it’s always best to just ask for everyone’s permission before you hit Record.) Otter can also be integrated with Slack, Salesforce, Zoom, and other popular workplace platforms (though integration options vary depending on your plan).
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As is the case with every other AI-powered tool, Otter also has its foibles. Its AI-generated summaries of conversations — which come with lists of action items — are generally reliable in broad strokes, but they can also be peppered with inaccuracies. The same goes for the AI-generated transcripts themselves. Always be sure to carefully read through them and, if necessary, fix the system’s outputs before you copy and paste them elsewhere or share them with another person.
3. Ask a chatbot for clarification
If you ever find yourself struggling to come to grips with a particularly complex subject or document, try linking/uploading it to ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini and requesting a concise explanation in non-technical language. It’s often a quick, easy, and effective way to get some clarity when you’re hitting a mental block or trying to parse new and unfamiliar terminology. Start with a prompt like: “Can you please summarize the key points from this document as if you were explaining it to a non-expert?”
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This kind of prompt should only ever be a means to an end, a way to find your footing before you go in and do the real work yourself. Say you’re trying to digest a scientific paper that contains all kinds of intimidating equations, charts, and unfamiliar terms. A chatbot can give you a high-level overview of what you’re reading, so that you can then, ideally, go back to the paper itself with more clarity and confidence. But always bear in mind that chatbots hallucinate, so you should never take their word completely at face value. And you should also never, ever feed them sensitive workplace documents that you wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with someone outside of your organization.
The AI Cambrian Explosion
Again, no two jobs are exactly alike, which means that the potential benefits and pitfalls of AI will vary from one role to the next.
But across the board, we’re currently undergoing something of an AI Cambrian Explosion: a blooming of tools and possibilities that could very well reshape virtually every job, at least to some degree. And just as the actual Cambrian Explosion was a period of unprecedented biological creativity, our present moment is an opportunity for workers of every kind to experiment with AI, and to write the rules around how it can be woven into their particular niches.
Experimentation, though, should always be tempered with caution.