How I’ve Been Using AI Every Day

Over the last few months, ChatGPT has become an unexpected ally in my life. What started as a simple tool for research quickly evolved into something that has touched multiple aspects of my personal and professional life. From helping me brainstorm ideas to crafting complex projects, here’s a breakdown of the many ways I’ve used ChatGPT recently.

Note: this post was edited about a year after it was first written. I’ve since leaned away from AI for a lot of these things, as it just doesn’t hit the same way people do.

1. Writing Support for My Projects

As a writer, I’m no stranger to the struggles of starting a project or hitting writer’s block halfway through. I originally turned to ChatGPT in helping me develop outlines, structure my thoughts, and even polish up my drafts. Whether it was drafting blog posts, articles, or even helping me to edit my books like Pairing Paws: Cat Breeds and Their Spirit Wines, ChatGPT became my go-to brainstorming partner.

I can’t even begin to explain how much I regretted this in hindsight. I went back and hired a human editor to undo the mess that ChatGPT created in editing and “polishing” so much that the words shone brightly enough to remove any quirkiness or authenticity that made it mine. Don’t even get me started on the disaster it left me on with my blog. At first, I thought it was perfect for it. I’m a little odd and my traumatized brain writes in too many metaphors and fluffy flowery language. I edited my blogs until they were stripped of their souls.

The turning point was when a reader reached out to me to ask me why I bothered writing if it was going to just be ChatGPT slop. It hurt for a lot of reasons, but one was because I had actually poured hours into my writing and now it was slop. I spent 6 months going back and re-editing my posts to be weird and fluffy again. It wasn’t a part of my writing after that.

2. GalaxGlass Project Development

Another key area where ChatGPT has made a huge impact is in the development of my GalaxGlass project. As someone who has long been passionate about reconnecting with the stars and fighting light pollution, I’ve used ChatGPT to research different lenses and filters, helping me understand the scientific aspects of my idea. Whether it’s been breaking down complex optical concepts or generating ideas for product development, ChatGPT has been an essential part of my GalaxGlass journey.

ChatGPT was able to help me to find a glass manufacturer who might have the lenses I needed already in stock, saving me a ton of time.

It even helped me brainstorm potential collaborations and partners, like the International Dark-Sky Association and various universities. Plus, whenever I needed to work through marketing or technical writing for the project, ChatGPT was there to assist me with drafts and revisions.

3. Creating Content for EnergyDrinkRatings.com

Another exciting project has been the creation and development of EnergyDrinkRatings.com Blog. My husband Zak and I worked for over a year to get the website off the ground, and ChatGPT played a key role in helping us understand SEO strategy, and with that knowledge we wrote posts that would drive traffic to the site. From writing about the science behind energy drinks to comparing brands, ChatGPT was invaluable in ensuring that we covered the topics our audience was searching for.

To be clear: I don’t think that AI was good at generating new ideas. Especially at the time. It isn’t very innovating and still isn’t, which is why nothing works quite like doing the brainstorming yourself then asking for feedback afterwards.

The blog took time to gain momentum, but using ChatGPT made that year of learning about blogging and SEO much easier to manage. It guided us on keyword usage, content flow, and how to make the blog both informative and engaging.

4. Research and Preparation for Interviews

As someone who regularly writes for various publications, including Mainline Tonight, I often need to interview people for my pieces. ChatGPT has been instrumental in preparing for these interviews. I’ve used it to generate questions, conduct background research on interviewees, and even organize transcripts after interviews, making it easier to incorporate their insights into my writing.

For instance, while working on my piece about the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), ChatGPT helped me organize my thoughts, draft questions for interviewees like Jason Malumed, and structure the article in a way that captured my perspective as a sommelier.

5. Learning and Personal Development

On a more personal note, ChatGPT has helped me dive deeper into topics that I find fascinating, like optical filters for GalaxGlass, scientific concepts about light, and even health and wellness. Whether it was for my ongoing fitness journey or learning about the rods in the eyes and their role in nature, ChatGPT was my trusted research tool.

It also came in handy as I continued to navigate my journey of healing from trauma. Through exploring resources and gaining new insights into treatments like EMDR, ChatGPT offered a space for me to better understand my PTSD and find ways to cope with symptoms like night terrors. On particularly bad nights, I would vent to the software and listen to the generated responses be more and more insightful.

6. Game Development Assistance

Lastly, I’ve been working on developing a video game where players grow plants in a Martian greenhouse, and ChatGPT has been an awesome collaborator for that as well. From brainstorming gameplay mechanics to writing detailed descriptions of features, it’s been a creative sounding board for this passion project. Whenever I needed help fleshing out game design concepts or outlining how certain aspects of the game would work, ChatGPT stepped in to offer new perspectives and detailed suggestions.

It has been giving me step-by-step instructions on how to code and write the game using Unity. I look forward to the final project, but in the meantime, it is just amazing to be able to program anything at all.

A Creative Partner, Not a Human Substitute

Looking back, it’s incredible to realize just how many areas of my life ChatGPT has touched. Every time I hit a wall, ChatGPT was there to help me over it, primarily from understanding complex concepts. It’s good at teaching systems and generating images.

It’s safe to say that ChatGPT has become an indispensable part of my toolkit, not as a writer or creator, but as someone who’s constantly seeking to learn, grow, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.