We have been talking to AI. Perhaps it is time to start working with AI.
Not long ago, most people who heard about artificial intelligence probably thought it was something complicated, technical and mainly for computer experts.
I was one of those people who wondered what all the excitement was about.
Today, I use AI regularly. I ask questions, explore unfamiliar subjects, research business stories and write articles for my blogs.
But recently, I started noticing something interesting while browsing on my cellphone.
More and more people are using ChatGPT and Claude, not simply to have conversations, but to improve their productivity.
That got me thinking.
Perhaps we have been looking at AI from the wrong angle. Instead of treating it as a clever computer that answers questions, we should start treating it as a working assistant.
Let me explain.
1. What does AI productivity mean?
Productivity sounds like a business expression. But the idea is actually very simple.
It means getting more useful work done with the time and resources available.
Imagine spending an hour preparing a business report. You need to research information, organize your thoughts, write the report and check the details.
With AI assistance, you can delegate some of these tasks.
You might ask ChatGPT to research the subject, Claude to review the material, and ChatGPT again to help organize the final report.
You still make the decisions. AI helps you do the groundwork.
That is the difference between simply talking to AI and working with AI.
2. Meet two popular AI assistants: ChatGPT and Claude
Two names that frequently appear in discussions about AI productivity are ChatGPT from OpenAI and Claude from Anthropic.
Both are capable AI assistants. Both can help with writing, research, document analysis, brainstorming and problem-solving.
They have different features and working styles, but there is considerable overlap.
Here are some practical examples.
Example A: Writing and publishing
Suppose you want to write an article for your blog.
Instead of starting with a blank page, you can tell ChatGPT:
"Help me write a 600-word conversational article explaining how seniors can use artificial intelligence in everyday life. Include five practical examples, a suitable title and a meta description."
ChatGPT can prepare a first draft.
You can then give the draft to Claude and ask:
"Review this article. Is the language natural? Are the examples useful for older readers? Identify areas that need improvement."
You review the suggestions, add your personal experiences and prepare the final article.
The result? Less time struggling with the first draft and more time concentrating on the quality of your content.
Example B: Research and fact-finding
Suppose you want to learn about a company such as Arc'teryx.
You could ask:
"Research the history of Arc'teryx. Explain where it started, who founded it, how its ownership changed and how it developed into an international brand."
AI can help organize the information into a readable business story.
You should still check important facts against reliable sources. AI can make mistakes, especially with dates, ownership and financial information.
But it gives you a useful starting point.
Example C: Working with Excel
Imagine you have a spreadsheet containing your household expenses.
You could upload the spreadsheet and ask:
"Analyze my monthly expenses. Identify the five largest spending categories, calculate the average monthly spending and suggest practical ways to organize the information."
AI can help interpret the figures, explain formulas and prepare charts.
For small business owners, this could be particularly useful for reviewing sales, expenses and customer information.
Always check the calculations before relying on them.
Example D: Organizing meetings
Imagine attending a business meeting lasting one hour.
You have a transcript of the discussion.
Ask AI:
"Summarize this meeting. Identify the main discussion points, decisions made, outstanding questions and action items."
Instead of reading the entire transcript again, you receive an organized summary.
This can save considerable time.
Remember to obtain appropriate permission before uploading meeting recordings or confidential transcripts.
3. Can ChatGPT and Claude work together?
Yes. This is one of the more interesting possibilities.
You do not have to choose one assistant and ignore the other.
You can use both in a workflow.
For example:
Step 1 — ChatGPT
Ask ChatGPT to research a subject and prepare an initial report.
Step 2 — Claude
Give Claude the report and ask it to identify missing information, questionable assumptions and areas requiring improvement.
Step 3 — ChatGPT
Return to ChatGPT and ask it to organize the revised material into a final document.
This is sometimes called a multi-AI workflow.
It is similar to asking two colleagues to review the same piece of work before you finalize it.
However, don't assume that two AI systems agreeing automatically makes something true. Both can make mistakes. Independent fact-checking remains essential.
4. What can ordinary people do with AI productivity?
You don't have to own a business or work in an office to benefit.
Here are some everyday possibilities:
| Who | Possible AI assistance |
|---|---|
| Retired people | Organize memoirs and family histories |
| Students | Explain difficult subjects and practise learning |
| Small business owners | Prepare marketing materials and customer replies |
| Office workers | Summarize documents and organize information |
| Bloggers | Research, draft and edit articles |
| Families | Organize travel plans and household schedules |
The possibilities are much broader than many people realize.
5. What about seniors?
This is particularly close to my heart.
Some people believe that artificial intelligence is mainly for younger generations.
I disagree.
Older people have accumulated decades of professional experience, business knowledge and personal memories.
AI can help us put that knowledge into words, organize it and share it with others.
For example, I have been using AI to develop Grandpa Journey, my memoir project.
Without AI assistance, I might never have organized so many memories and stories into a collection of readable articles.
I am not saying AI does all the work. The memories are mine. The experiences are mine. AI helps me express them.
That is a meaningful form of productivity.
6. Three things we should never forget
As we become more comfortable working with AI, there are three important precautions.
First, accuracy.
AI can produce convincing answers that are incorrect. Check important facts, figures and references.
Second, privacy.
Think carefully before uploading confidential documents, personal information or financial records. Understand the privacy settings of the service you use.
Third, human judgment.
AI can offer suggestions and recommendations. It cannot take responsibility for your decisions.
Use your own experience and common sense.
7. My next little experiment
I have decided to explore ChatGPT and Claude more systematically.
Rather than simply reading about their capabilities, I want to try practical exercises.
For example:
Use both assistants to write and edit an article.
Ask both to research the same business.
Compare how they summarize a document.
Give both the same spreadsheet analysis task.
Try using one assistant to review the other's work.
I want to discover what works, what doesn't and where the real productivity benefits lie.
And I intend to share these experiences with AI123.ca readers.
You don't need to master everything at once. One practical experiment at a time is enough.
My final thoughts
I am an 80+ learner. I don't pretend to know everything about artificial intelligence.
But I have discovered something important.
We don't need to become technology experts to benefit from AI.
We need curiosity, a willingness to experiment and the confidence to ask questions.
For years, we have used computers to store information, write documents and communicate with others.
Now we have another opportunity.
We can work alongside AI to research, organize, create, learn and accomplish things more efficiently.
My suggestion is simple:
Don't just ask AI questions. Give it useful tasks.
Don't simply admire what AI can do. Experiment with what it can do for you.
And don't worry about learning everything today.
From AI conversation to AI productivity — one small task at a time.
That's how I intend to continue learning.
How about you?
David Au
AI123.ca — Exploring → Learning → Documenting
Helping ordinary people, including seniors, discover practical ways to use artificial intelligence.
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