“I use AI all the time.”

I hear this almost everywhere I go.

Anytime people hear that I use AI incessantly, and even teach it to chambers of commerce and their members, that’s what they tell me.

“It’s a lifesaver.”

“Saves me so much time.”

“It’s changed everything for me.”

At first, I would smile, nod and agree.

But now, I push it.

“What does that mean, you use it all the time?”

The answer is almost always the same… “I use it to write all my social media posts.”

Notwithstanding the fact that writing social media posts are one of the biggest wastes of a chamber professional’s time that exists in life, using AI only to write your social media posts is like using a Lamborghini Countach to deliver Uber Eats.

That’s when the fun begins.

Because I always have two of three mind-bending examples of how AI – just through your favorite platform, no programming skills necessary – to change the future of your company or organization.

Momentum and AI

I want to talk for a moment about our company, and how we use and teach AI – because it’s a little bit different than a lot of folks.

In Fall of 2022, we decided to go all in on ChatGPT.

Our intent was to learn it, use it to grow our company, and curate the best stuff for our primary audiences: chambers of commerce, business associations and small business.

I could never have predicted where this has all gone.

First off, regarding our own operations at Momentum… AI has enabled us to create new business lines, precisely target new markets and create our long-term strategy, which you’re seeing us implement every day, as we talk about it on LinkedIn.

I’m going to talk below about some of the ways we’ve done that – hopefully to inspire you to do the same.

(Incidentally… Guess what we DON’T use AI for? Writing social media posts. Ironic, huh?)

But, externally, what started out as running regular AI trainings for chambers and chamber members has turned into keynotes, conference presentations (including internationally, coming up in September!), an AI following in a number of U.S. markets and actual AI programming.

The programming I definitely didn’t see coming when we started, but recently we launched our new AI for Chambers of Commerce platform, and I’m already hard at work on the next one, which has even bigger potential!

I made a decision, though.

AI FOR MOMENTUM’S AUDIENCE

There are a lot of AI “experts” here on LinkedIn that are engaged in what feels like a competition, to be the biggest, best and most knowledgeable.

They’re the FIRST to try out a new feature or platform and report on it.

They dig into the behind-the-scenes of what’s driving the market competition.

And they find wonderfully complex things to do with prompts, and platform crossovers (“here’s how I used ChatGPT, Midjourney, Luma and Synthesia to create this incredible graphic”).

Some of them, I learn some good stuff from – they’re a great resource.

I’m happy to see folks I work with build their follower base.

But, we took a different approach:

Our bread-and-butter is not going toe-to-toe with people who are doing this full-time.

In fact, that master’s level AI usage can be intimidating to our audience.

No, we’re focused primarily on the “I use ChatGPT to do all my social media posts” people.

We know that the vast majority of professionals out there either haven’t used AI at all, or are dabbling.

These are the people we can help. These are the people we WANT to help.

Behind-the-scenes, sure, we can play with the big boys.

We’ve created AI applications and use cases for a myriad of industries.

And, I don’t know too many who have programmed and launched their own platforms (that’s because learning AI, and applying it to the real world, are two very different things).

But, our content, and our marketing, are for people and companies who can see the potential, but haven’t grasped it yet.

Which provides plenty of work.

How We Use AI at Momentum

That all being said, back at Momentum HQ, when it comes to AI, we’re in it to win it.

AI has changed the face of our company.

It’s changed the work we do for our clients.

And, it’s created opportunity for people in our circle who we coach.

That’s what this is all about, anyway, isn’t it? Creating real-world results?

Video is a great example of this for me.

As various platforms were rolling out their video capabilities, sure, I thought they were cool.

But, I wasn’t seeing the practical application, so while I played a bit, I didn’t dive in.

Then, I ran into a conundrum.

I’ve done lots of video for Momentum over the years, and for my novels, and for my other companies.

For Momentum AI, though, I didn’t necessarily want to be the “face” of the chamber platform.

It looked too “small business” to me, when we’re already working with companies and organizations all across the U.S. and in Canada.

Enter Synthesia.

You want to talk about taking the headache out of doing video?

Not only did I get an AI avatar to do my walkthrough videos (you know, for our AI platform)…

But, it took probably a quarter of the time to get the videos done.

Incredible… And I LOVE the way they turned out.

 

Once I identified the real-world application, I was completely bought in.

So… what real-world AI applications do we use on a daily basis?

TOOL #1: STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

For us, strategy development is the secret sauce.

People talk about staring at the “blank page” when writing content, and how AI can help overcome procrastination.

How about staring at the blank page for the creation of a 6-month, 18-month or 3-year strategy?

That’s even more daunting.

Not anymore, though.

Your favorite AI platform (we stick with ChatGPT) can create the bones of your strategy with however much detail you want it to provide.

Easily, this is our most used AI tool.

We have so many ideas – and not just for Momentum, but for our clients, or the chambers and associations we work with – and ChatGPT allows us to:

1. Get the ideas out of our minds and into writing

2. Get feedback on the idea, and

3. Create a comprehensive strategy to bring it to life

I’ll give you a recent example:

The Possibilities of Route 62

So, I have a pet project I’m interested in, and as chair of the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce, I’ve told our executive director, Kory Schuler I want to get this done by the time my term is up…

U.S. Route 62 is the only non-Interstate road that goes all the way from the Canadian border to the Mexican border – Niagara Falls, NY to El Paso, TX.

Only, it doesn’t.

You see, when you’re approaching the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls to get to Canada, U.S. 62 stops one block short – it turns into U.S. 104 for the last 500 feet or so.

I see lots of media and tourism potential – if we could possibly get that last stretch of road changed to U.S. 62.

(My poor kids have heard me talked about this ad nauseum for years!)

With a quarter of my term as chair done, this past week, I deemed this a priority to work on.

I explained the situation to ChatGPT, and asked what steps I would need to take to make it happen.

In 30 seconds, I now have a comprehensive plan to go after it.

Everything from who has the power to make such a decision to creating the business case for it to roping in stakeholders.

All laid out, and ready-to-go.

USE AI TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON YOUR STRATEGY

We use this literally every day.

(We use ChatGPT Voice, which I’ll talk about below)

“Here’s an idea… What do you think?”

“Now create a 6-month comprehensive strategy to make that idea a reality.”

I might not use the results immediately, but they’re ready for me to go when I need it.

In addition, if I want ChatGPT to flesh out any components of the strategy, we dive in deeper:

“Give me more insight into Step #5: Stakeholder Engagement.”

It’s powerful, and it will change your approach to everything your company does.

TOOL #2: AI Analysis

Whether it’s an idea, a spreadsheet or a 50-page document, AI is powerful when it comes to analysis.

I’m, at heart, a PR guy.

Yet, throughout my career, because I worked in government and economic development, I’ve had my share of projects that require deep analysis… Of legislation, reports and data, legal docs and studies.

My role has always been to cull this information down to layman’s terms – for communication to members, stakeholders or the public.

In the past, I’ve been fortunate enough on many occasions to have people on my team(s) for whom that kind of analysis was their specialty – Scott Marchant and Nadine Minter Powell are two I loved working with.

They’d do the deep dive, and give me the highlights, to then present in a digestible way – the thing that I’m good at.

Bottom line is… That kind of research isn’t my thing, and I’ve found over the years that my biggest source for procrastination is when I need to absorb something, analyze it and report.

In many cases, I just don’t have the time in the day, so I put it off.

Not anymore.

ENTER CHATGPT!

Analysis is actually an area where the platforms compete incessantly – the ability to distill information from longer and longer documents, and now, even, from audio and video.

It seems like with each advancement the various players make, one of the brags is now, “Can analyze an XX-page document in YY seconds.”

Which tells me I’m not alone in my loathing of deep-dive research.

An example we use regularly in our trainings is this prompt:

Can you analyze this new policy, and draft a 400-word policy paper for us? https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-issues-rule-that-could-curb-gig-work-contracting-2024-01-09/ We’d like our statement to focus on protecting “gig workers”. Also, can you draft a blurb about this topic for our newsletter, where we can share our policy paper. Express the importance of this issue to chamber members who have fleets/drivers.

I use this one because it’s a great real-life example.

The “gig workers” rule is a particularly confusing one, and I’ve talked to a number of businesses who have struggled with it over the past few years.

Here, I’m able to not only analyze the policy that came out earlier this year, but from the specific perspective that my organization and stakeholders need.

Between cutting-and-pasting copy, web URLs or attaching documents, AI’s ability to review, analyze and curate enables you to do many things that you’ve wanted to do, but didn’t have the time for.

TOOL #3: Handling Regular Tasks/GPTs

There’s a good debate in the AI community about GPTs – which, for all intents and purposes are “bots” created to do specific recurring tasks.

At Momentum, we love them, and use them regularly.

But, I understand why some people don’t.

When OpenAI created the GPT Store – which allows any paid user to create and share (with the world) their homemade GPTs – like any other open source/sharing marketplace, there were some really good ones, and there were a lot of bad ones.

While we’ve shared some that we think could be useful to others, we’re not all that worried about the store.

We use them for our own internal purposes, and for our clients.

One of our GPTs is called, simply, “impulseGUIDE.”

It’s a bot we created solely to use for our client, impulseGUIDE.com, which provides amazing digital signage solutions all over the country.

Our GPT is trained on impulseGUIDE: their products, personnel, branding, culture, mission, vision and growth plans.

Why is that important?

Because every time I use ChatGPT on behalf of impulseGUIDE, I don’t have to retrain it to set the stage for whatever prompt I’m about to use.

It’s already in there.

Talk about a time-saver.

CREATING AND SHARING GPTS

Here are some other ones we created, and use regularly (that are also available in the GPT Store):

• Webinar Wizard – Generates timely webinar ideas for small businesses with titles, speakers, and summaries

• Networking Follow-up Connector – Takes your networking contacts and drafts a customized LinkedIn connection request for each

• Event Promotor AI – Input your event URL and today’s date, and EPAI will create your promotional strategy and all content leading up to your event

• Minutes Maker – Automatically compiles rough meeting notes into publishable minutes

(I also created a really cool Jungian Dream Interpreter – a fascination of mine… But can’t share that to the store because it’s deemed, “medical advice”… I can share it personally, though, if anyone wants to try it – DM me over on LinkedIn!)

Yes, there’s programming logic that goes into the creation of a GPT.

The good thing is that OpenAI has created a very easy-to-use wizard right within the paid version of ChatGPT to walk you through it.

I encourage you to try it.

I guarantee there’s something you do in your daily life that a GPT could help automate for you.

TOOL #4: ChatGPT Voice

While I try, typically, to stick to three examples in my blogs, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention THE absolute most important AI feature for us at Momentum: ChatGPT Voice.

People poke fun at me, but I have extensive conversations with ChatGPT via its voice feature.

I do a great deal of business travel, mostly road trips.

Often, from the time I get in the car to the time I arrive, I’m talking to ChatGPT.

Outlining content, planning strategies, asking for insights, creating action plans… It has been absolutely invaluable.

Interestingly enough, it’s also made me feel a little bit better about taking hikes and long walks – even in the middle of workdays (to take advantage of nice weather).

A couple weeks back, I had a meeting in Niagara Falls on an absolutely beautiful Thursday.

Instead of going back to my laptop after, I went for a three-hour walk by our famous Falls.

(Those of you who know me personally know that I’m TIED to my laptop, and the idea of taking a random afternoon off is unsettling to me).

Only… I didn’t take the afternoon off.

I worked the entire time, talking to ChatGPT.

Knocked out three big projects that, incidentally, I probably would NOT have finished, had I gone back to my desk and started answering waiting e-mails!

Circular reasoning?

I think the proof is in the results.

ChatGPT voice has completely changed the way I do things, and has put productivity through the roof.

For me, it, alone, is worth the jump up to the paid version of ChatGPT.

AI is About More than Just Copywriting

I’m on a mission to help chambers of commerce, business associations and small businesses get more done with AI.

We don’t work with those audiences simply because they’re a good market for us.

We work with them because I have a passion for them.

I’ve met such great people in those arenas throughout my career, and I am thrilled (and touched) when someone comes back to tell me that our AI training changed how they do things.

But, I want you to use it more.

I use the phrase, “Just ask…” all the time.

“Can ChatGPT do this?”

Just ask.

It likely can.

It can do far more than we can fit into a blog or an hour-long training session.

They way you learn is by experimenting, and using your imagination.

I talked above about my Dream Interpreter, as an example.

My challenge with dream dictionaries is that you have to pinpoint imagery from your dream – when sometimes there are many images and symbols throughout – and then tie the various interpretations together.

I wanted to be able to describe the whole dream in a rambling way, the way you would to a family member at the breakfast table in real life, and see what happens.

So, I “just asked”, and it turned out pretty darn cool.

I hope you’ll hop into your favorite AI platform and explore and experiment.

Get beyond drafting social media posts.

If you need help, personally, or for your team… We do that.

Reach out ASAP… Because the technology isn’t waiting around for people to catch up!!!

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How can we help you? We provide an array of AI-related services for chambers of commerce, business associations and businesses, including in-person and virtual training, corporate training and sandboxing AI solutions. Set up a call with us if you, your team, or your members need to take your AI game to the next level!