University Libraries' Staff Guide to Generative AI: Tip of the Week
Your Weekly Tip
Hargrove, N.A. (2024). Image of Tip of the Week [AI-generated image]. Microsoft Copilot.
Type: Future Trends
Contributor: Nora Benallal
OpenAI's new ChatGPT agent is here
At a Glance:
This article from Tom's Guide discusses OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent, highlighting five powerful new capabilities: web browsing, task automation, visual and text-based browsing options, connectors to personal accounts, and enhanced user control. The author emphasizes the agent's practicality and potential to streamline productivity through automation and integration with everyday tools and platforms.
Why Read?
As AI capabilities rapidly evolve, ChatGPT Agent's new features offer opportunities to automate real-world tasks, integrate personal data seamlessly, and streamline productivity workflows.
Key Takeaways:
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Real-world task completion:
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ChatGPT Agent moves beyond generating ideas to actively performing tasks like vacation planning, grocery list creation, and online shopping, leading to practical results such as checklists or editable documents.
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- User control and oversight:
- The system emphasizes user oversight by pausing for explicit permission before executing sensitive actions, allowing manual intervention at any stage, and reinforcing user autonomy.
- Technical task automation:
- Built-in tools such as code execution environments, terminals, and spreadsheet analysis enable the agent to handle complex tasks like data analysis, script writing, and financial modeling, often surpassing human performance benchmarks.
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Integration with personal accounts:
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Connectors allow ChatGPT Agent to access personal accounts like Gmail and Google Drive, enabling personalized content retrieval, email summarization, and calendar management, with explicit user permissions and privacy considerations.
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Visual and text browser versatility:
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The agent intelligently switches between a visual browser, simulating human web interactions, and a lightweight text browser for efficient task performance based on the specific requirement.
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Critical Considerations:
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The article strongly promotes ChatGPT Agent, presenting an optimistic perspective on the transformative potential of AI agents. Critical evaluation of the suitability and implications of this tool is important, with consideration given to balancing productivity benefits with privacy, security, reliability, and ethical usage.
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Guidance on the GenAI Tip of the Week Types
What is it?
Best practices are guidelines or recommended approaches to effectively using GenAI. These practices help ensure GenAI is used ethically, efficiently, and produces high quality results.
Example
Image quality is important. Check out 618Media article DALL-E Best Practices: Enhancing Image Quality (2024). Key take way: Prompts should be specific, use descriptive language, and incorporate artistic styles.1
When contributing your best practice, please explain why it is being recommended.
1618Media. (2024). DALL-E best practices: Enhancing image quality. Retrieved from https://618media.com/en/blog/dall-e-best-practices-enhancing-image-quality/#mastering-the-art-of-prompt-engineering
What is it?
A case study is an in-depth analysis of a specific instance where GenAI was applied to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Case studies provide real-world examples of AI applications and their outcomes.
Example
A case study on how a university library used GenAI for cataloging.
When contributing your case study, please explain why it is being recommended.
What is it?
Future trends refer to the anticipated developments and innovations in GenAI. These trends can shape how GenAI is used and integrated into various industries. These can include links to books, articles, videos, and research.
Example
What’s the future of generative AI? An early view in 15 charts by McKinsey & Company.
When contributing your future trends, please explain why it is being recommended.
What is it?
Prompts are the inputs or questions given to a GenAI model to produce a response. Crafting effective prompts is crucial for getting accurate and relevant outputs.
Example
When asking GenAI to summarize a document, you could use:
Please summarize the key points of this research paper on sustainability and GenAI. Please list your sources.
When contributing your prompt, please explain why it is being recommended.
What is it?
Tool highlights showcase specific GenAI tools or platforms, explaining their features, benefits, and how they can be used.
Example
Highlighting OpenAI’s GPT-4, discussing its capabilities in natural language understanding and generation, and providing tips on how to use it for various applications.
When contributing your tool highlight, please explain why it is being recommended.
What is it?
Training resources are materials or tools that help users learn how to effectively use GenAI. These can include tutorials, courses, documentation, and more.
Example
Introduction to Prompt Engineering article from Microsoft.
When contributing your training resource, please explain why it is being recommended.
How to Contribute a Tip of the Week
What do I do?
The UNC Libraries invite the staff to contribute to the GenAI Tip of the Week by filling out the GenAI Tool Funding and Contribution Form.
What happens next?
Once the completed form is received, it will be reviewed by our Graduate Assistant for GenAI Services. We looking forward to receiving your contributions soon!