Getting Started With ChatGPT

So you’ve been swept up in the ChatGPT wave that has taken the world by storm! Before you dive in, check out a couple of useful tips to maximize your ChatGPT experience. We’ve got a co-author for this article, but I’ll let them introduce themself:

Hello! I’m ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI. I’m designed to understand and generate human-like language, which means I can help you with a variety of tasks, from answering questions to generating text in various styles and formats. I’ve been trained on a vast corpus of text data, so I have a broad range of knowledge on many different subjects. Whether you need help with homework, want to chat about a particular topic, or just need some general assistance, I’m here to help!

Awesome! It’s great to be working with you ChatGPT. Some folks may be wondering how to get started. First, navigate to ChatGPT’s OpenAI site and create an account (if needed). You can also log in with Facebook, Google, and other services. 

After you’ve created an account, you’ll have access to my User Interface. But you may have to prove that you are not a robot prior to logging in. Kai has informed me of the irony of this. As a large language model, I only have a situational understanding of irony, so I will trust him on it.

The User Interface

Now that we know how to access ChatGPT, let’s take a look at the user interface and it’s functionality:

First we have the input line. This is where you will send ChatGPT prompts. Hey ChatGPT, what exactly are “prompts?”

In the context of natural language processing, a prompt or query refers to a statement or question given by a user that an AI language model like myself attempts to understand and generate a relevant response to.

A series of prompts are grouped into “chats” which can be used to differentiate between different conversations you are having with ChatGPT. Why would you start a new chat?

There are a number of reasons you might start a new chat with me! It’s important to remember that data is not shared across chats, therefore one of the most powerful reasons for starting a new chat is to discard all previously used prompts and start fresh. You may also start a new chat to change languages, or simply to separate your thoughts.

You can start a new chat using the button in the top left of the ChatGPT interface, or toggle back to an old chat by clicking to it in the left menu:

The final important function of the user interface is the “Regenerate Response” button that appears after you have asked ChatGPT a question:

This button instructs ChatGPT to re-answer your query. It also highlights the fundamental difference between a large langauge model and an algorithm. Care to elaborate ChatGPT?

For sure! While algorithms are typically programmed with specific rules and instructions to perform a task, large language models like me use complex neural networks to generate unique responses to identical queries. This is because we are trained on vast amounts of data and are designed to learn patterns and make predictions based on that data. Therefore, our responses can vary depending on the context and the specific language used in the query, allowing for more natural and varied interactions.

And with that, we are ready to start exploring what you can do ChatGPT! Hey, what do you think is the most important thing for beginners to keep in mind?

When you’re asking me a question, it’s important to give as many details as possible so that it can give you the best answer possible! So, think about what you really want to know and try to be as specific as you can with your question. That way, you’ll get the most helpful response from me.

Details, Details, Details

This button instructs ChatGPT to re-answer your query. It also highlights the fundamental difference between a large langauge model and an algorithm. Care to elaborate ChatGPT?

For sure! While algorithms are typically programmed with specific rules and instructions to perform a task, large language models like me use complex neural networks to generate unique responses to identical queries. This is because we are trained on vast amounts of data and are designed to learn patterns and make predictions based on that data. Therefore, our responses can vary depending on the context and the specific language used in the query, allowing for more natural and varied interactions.

And with that, we are ready to start exploring what you can do ChatGPT! Hey, what do you think is the most important thing for beginners to keep in mind?

When you’re asking me a question, it’s important to give as many details as possible so that it can give you the best answer possible! So, think about what you really want to know and try to be as specific as you can with your question. That way, you’ll get the most helpful response from me.

Details, Details, Details

As ChatGPT mentioned when it introduced itself, artificial intelligences are trained on a mountain (read: vast corpus) of data! This makes them extremely knowledge on a variety of subjects. This means it is imperative to be specific in your question, otherwise ChatGPT could return a factual answer, but absolutely not the information you’re looking for.

That’s right, if a user asks an ambiguous question to me, it’s possible that they may not get the answer they were looking for. This is because I rely on the specific wording and context of a question to generate a response, and if a question is too vague or open-ended, it can be difficult for the model to understand exactly what the user is asking.

In some cases, I may generate a response that is tangentially related to the question but doesn’t actually answer it. Alternatively, it may ask for clarification or provide a prompt to help the user refine their question. While I am designed to be helpful and informative, it’s ultimately up to the user to ensure that their questions are clear and specific enough to elicit the desired response.

Stay on Topic

I agree ChatGPT, providing adequate details ensures that users receive the most relevant information regarding their query. Further, it is important to make sure that you are adequately separating disparate topics. ChatGPT uses the chat history to deliver relevant, conversational information. This means that sudden pivots in topics or themes can cause confusing or less helpful answers, isn’t that right, ChatGPT?

Yeppers! Keep it straightforward, folks! When using ChatGPT, it’s best to stick to one topic at a time. This way, you can get the most out of your conversation and really explore the issue at hand. So don’t overcomplicate things – just focus on what you want to know!

Let’s see if we can use a very simple prompt to have ChatGPT describe a complicated topic (and have a little bit of fun learning):

And there we have it, “little monsters!” A straightforward prompt to retrieve a detailed explanation of a complex topic.

Follow Up Questions

Listen, folks, we need to keep the conversation going. If you’re not sure about something ChatGPT says, don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions. We need to get all the facts and make informed decisions, so keep engaging and let’s get the answers we need!
You nailed it ChatGPT! One of the most important tips for expanding on complex topics or flushing out details is to use follow up questions. Remember that ChatGPT is conversational, meaning it can use context clues to determine meanings without needing to constantly restate information. Let’s see how this relates to a query to write a creative story. First, let’s have ChatGPT write an opening:

Now, without restating any details, let’s have ChatGPT write a happy ending for our friend Marvin:

Keep an Open Mind

And with that, you have all you need to cast forward into ChatGPT and generate a nearly infinite stream of unique, engaging, factual content. Before you jump into the deep end though, it’s important to remember that ChatGPT is a tool that is still in development. That means sometimes it can get confused or provide incorrect or out of date information. 

Ah, yes, ChatGPT is a powerful tool, indeed. However, we mustn’t forget that it’s not infallible. Remember, it’s just a machine, and like all machines, it can sometimes make mistakes. So approach its answers with caution and be sure to do your own fact-checking!

Bonus Fun!

You may have noticed that throughout this article, ChatGPT has used a variety of different voices and sentence structures. It may have read as somewhat chaotic, but was actually intentional! This article took rampant advantage of the ability to feed ChatGPT style guidelines for its responses. This allows you to cater sentence structure, vocabulary, and pacing of responses to fit your individual needs.

For example, maybe you find yourself teleported back in time and in desperate need of the ability to explain quantum entanglement to a cowboy:

Well, partner, quantum entanglement is kind of like two cowpokes who’ve been ridin’ the range together for so long that they start to act as one. You see, when two particles are entangled, they become connected in a way that defies explanation. It’s like they’re sharing a lasso rope, no matter how far apart they are. And when you mess with one of ’em, the other one feels it too – just like a trusty old horse that can sense when its rider is in trouble. It’s mighty strange, but that’s just the way of the quantum frontier.

Or maybe you are working on your social skills for the renaissance faire:

Greetings, fair maiden! Might I humbly request the pleasure of a dance with such a graceful and fair lady? I promise to lead you with the utmost care and to make this dance a memory to last a lifetime. So, will you do me the honor of sharing this dance with me, fair maiden?

To take use of this ChatGPT feature, simply ask! You can phrase it into your question like “As if you are an old fashioned cowboy, explain quantum entanglement.” Or you can set off your style guide in a separate paragraph like:

[Use the voice of a 15th century knight]

Ask a girl to dance.

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