Transitioning from the Self-Guided Instructors to the AI-Driven Educators
Transitioning from the Self-Guided Instructors to the AI-Driven Educators
Published in 1883, during a period of significant transformation, emerged "The Universal Self-Instructor: A Compendium of Forms and General Reference Manual". The Industrial Revolution was in full swing, immigration was surging, and urban areas were expanding rapidly, with some cities doubling in size in mere decades. People were struggling to comprehend their changing world and adapt to the challenges posed by industrial society. The book's purpose was to assemble in a single volume "an amount of practical information" required by the inhabitants of this evolving world.
The Universal Self-Instructor tackled a broad spectrum of topics, from legal documents and accounting to guidance on writing a letter or treating a medical issue. It also included sections on the latest advancements in technology (including telegraphy and phrenology). It served as a resource for learning and the foundation for the personal growth many sought.
Comparing the Table of Contents of The Universal Self-Instructor to a search within ChatGPT, a leading generative AI platform, is an intriguing exercise. For numerous topics, no specialized knowledge is required; ChatGPT itself can supply precisely what the user is seeking. If you need to find historical facts, learn about an individual, or draft a memo in a specific style, a simple prompt will yield the desired results (although there may be caveats at times). However, if you seek more in-depth information, there are specialized ChatGPT applications available. Currently, these GPTs offer legal advice, handle bookkeeping, and address medical issues. They also provide lessons on technological advancements, such as AI and cryptocurrencies. The most notable difference between the two is their interactivity: you pose specific questions, and you receive tailored responses.
There are ingenious twists to these GPTs that make them even more fascinating. Instead of utilizing a GPT to learn about an influential person's biography, there are GPTs designed to aid in writing your own biography. Instead of using a GPT to explore an era's history, there is one that allows you to explore alternate historical scenarios. GPTs aren't simply an improved version of the past; they are evolving into something new.
For those keen on learning, a GPT can serve as a potent instrument to swiftly accumulate new insights. It is like having a personal tutor with an uncanny ability to cater to your current level of understanding. I was astounded by the depth and subtlety of the knowledge I gained when trying to decipher Heidegger using a GPT called 'Philosophy Sage', for example. The GPT provided an overview of Heidegger's significant philosophical contributions, helped clarify terms I did not fully grasp, and placed Heidegger within a wider historical context. I could even connect his work as a philosophy professor in Nazi Germany to that of Walter Ciszek, a contemporary who was a priest imprisoned in Russia during World War II.
An instance of a GPT tutor with broad scope is 'Mr. Ranedeer'. It can customize the learning experience according to your personal learning style, adapt to your level of knowledge, and focus on your specific learning objectives. If you're determined to systematically learn a new discipline, Mr. Ranedeer can craft a detailed, step-by-step learning plan and assist you in completing it, as if you had a seasoned tutor by your side.
Creating a basic GPT is surprisingly straightforward. Individuals without coding expertise can create one. A few examples demonstrate the range and accessibility of the tool: a nurse working on a GPT for discharge management at a care facility, a tenth-grade World Lit teacher using GPTs to help students review essays from earlier in the academic year, and an innovation manager harnessing a GPT to assist in selecting a business model for an innovative concept. Advanced GPTs, which draw on vast volumes of source material, require additional skills, but basic GPTs are valuable and have democratized the construction of expert assistants.
What does this imply for business leaders?
- Specialized GPTs for your industry can be powerful tools, transforming complex and sometimes contradictory manuals into interactive resources. Employees can create these GPTs.
- GPTs can manage the scale, scope, and pace of learning that will be required in the coming years. Unlike online courses and YouTube videos, they can provide structure and create an interactive learning experience that accelerates learning.
- GPTs can also be utilized to capture the expertise of soon-to-retire domain experts. This was a significant motivator for expert systems in the 1990s. The barriers to accomplishing this are now significantly lower than they were then, and the experts can often carry out much of the programming themselves.
The potential application of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in organizational improvement is significant. By leveraging ChatGPT for tasks like drafting memos, understanding historical facts, or even exploring alternate historical scenarios, businesses can enhance their learning and adaptability. Furthermore, the creation and use of customized GPTs, even by individuals without coding expertise, can democratize the construction of expert assistants, leading to improved operational efficiencies and knowledge sharing within organizations.
Incorporating the use of GPTs in organizational improvement efforts can foster a culture of continuous learning within the organization. This constant learning and adaptation, driven by the use of GPTs, can play a pivotal role in organizational improvement and staying competitive in rapidly evolving industries. By empowering employees to create specialized GPTs and leveraging their interactive capabilities for learning, businesses can foster a learning-centric culture that fosters organizational improvement.