New Workshop - "Custom AI Models: Building Practical AI Tools for Personal and Professional Productivity"

Custom AI Models: Building Practical AI Tools for Personal and Professional Productivity
A Learning Revolution "AI Deep Dive" Workshop with Reed Hepler

OVERVIEW: 

As Reed and Steve Hargadon discussed with attendees in the summer AI Productivity BootCamp, “Custom AI Models” (like Custom GPTs from OpenAI) are fast becoming one of the most important and productive tools for those looking to harness the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) in practical, pragmatic, and applicable ways.

We're all being inundated with promotional and marketing messages telling us all of the great things that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can do for us. A lot of those promises are significantly exaggerated as companies are vying for attention in the rush to profit from AI. We're also constantly being offered articles or downloads of the “100 best prompts” to use to be productive and successful with AI. Learning how to effectively prompt (or give instructions) to the LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or Perplexity) is a relatively good thing, but it’s not necessarily the best use of time for the results needed in order to have AI actually impact productivity.

However, understanding and learning how to build a Custom AI Model, especially the CustomGPT framework from OpenAI, is something that you should learn and that will have very specific and productive outcomes for you or your organization.

Join us for this hands-on, in-depth workshop to learn the ins and outs of Custom AI Models to streamline work processes, enhance data analysis, improve communication, or manage projects more effectively. By the end of this workshop, you will not only understand the foundational principles of AI tool creation, but you will also leave with at least one custom model that enhances your productivity while upholding the values of transparency and ethical responsibility.

CUSTOM AI MODELS:

Custom AI Models--the most prominent being OpenAI's Custom GPTs--are specialized versions of general LLM systems tailored to meet specific needs or tasks. Imagine having a chatbot that not only understands general information but is also fine-tuned to grasp the nuances of a particular project, topic, industry, or even a company's internal processes. You program these custom models with specific instructions on the output you are expecting and can give them specific data, which can include anything from product manuals to legal documents, allowing them to provide more accurate, relevant, and context-aware responses. This makes them incredibly powerful tools for businesses, educators, or anyone who needs an AI that can act as a knowledgeable expert in a particular area, offering a personalized and efficient solution for complex tasks.

EXAMPLES:

• Content Creation GPT: A model fine-tuned for marketing teams, capable of generating high-quality content such as blog posts, newsletters, social media updates, or ad copy that aligns with personal or organizational strategy.
• Social Media Manager GPT: A model designed to craft engaging social media posts, respond to customer comments, and analyze social media metrics to optimize content strategy and boost online presence.
• Brand Voice GPT: A model that ensures all written communications, from emails to marketing copy, consistently reflect personal or organizational unique brand voice, enhancing brand cohesion across all platforms.
• Event Planning GPT: A model that helps by generating event themes, scheduling activities, and coordinating logistics based on past event data and industry trends.
• Customer Support GPT: A model trained on a company’s product information, FAQs, and past customer interactions to provide personalized and accurate customer service, reducing response time and improving customer satisfaction.
• Technical Support GPT: A model trained on product manuals, troubleshooting guides, and technical documentation to provide customers with accurate, step-by-step assistance for resolving technical issues.
• Specialized Assistance GPT: A model trained on specific documents, guidelines, or data to assist in research, reporting, or recommendations relative to your particular field or work.
• More Examples: Communication (Internal and External), Training and Professional Development, Data Analysis and Visualization, Business Administration, Business and Project Management, and Scenario and Role Playing (Conflict Management/Risk Assessment).

As you can tell, Custom AI Models are a very powerful tools as they can uniquely realize the promises of AI productivity.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• Guidelines for Creating Specific Custom LLM Tools
• Creating GPT Models
• Providing and Structuring Tool System Prompts
  • Task Goals
  • Communication Preferences
  • Content and Data Strategies
  • Licensing And Permissions
  • Interface Plan
  • Fine-Tuning Plan
  • Prompt Design
  • Custom Instructions
• Other Custom Model Providers

This 90-minute online hands-on workshop is the first in our new Learning Revolution "AI Deep Dive" Series. The recording and presentation slides will be available to all who register.

DATE: Friday, September 20th, 2024, 2:00 - 3:30 pm US - Eastern Time

COST:

• $129/person - includes live attendance and any-time access to the recording and the presentation slides and receiving a participation certificate. To arrange group discounts (see below), to submit a purchase order, or for any registration difficulties or questions, email admin@learningrevolution.com.

TO REGISTER: 

Click HERE to register and pay. You can pay by credit card. You will receive an email within a day with information on how to attend the webinar live and how you can access the permanent webinar recording. If you are paying for someone else to attend, you'll be prompted to send an email to admin@learningrevolution.com with the name and email address of the actual attendee.

If you need to be invoiced or pay by check, if you have any trouble registering for a webinar, or if you have any questions, please email admin@learningrevolution.com.

NOTE: please check your spam folder if you don't receive your confirmation email within a day.

SPECIAL GROUP RATES (email admin@learningrevolution.com to arrange):

• Multiple individual log-ins and access from the same organization paid together: $99 each for 3+ registrations, $75 each for 5+ registrations. Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
• The ability to show the webinar (live or recorded) to a group located in the same physical location or in the same virtual meeting from one log-in: $399.
• Large-scale institutional access for viewing with individual login capability: $599 (hosted either at Learning Revolution or in Niche Academy). Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.

ALL-ACCESS PASSES: This webinar is not a part of the Library 2.0 or Learning Revolution All-Access programs.

REED C. HEPLER

Reed Hepler is a digital initiatives librarian, instructional designer, artificial intelligence practitioner and consultant, and M.Ed. student at Idaho State University in the Instructional Design and Technology program. He obtained a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, with emphases in Archives Management and Digital Curation, from Indiana University. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in History with minors in Anthropology and Religious Studies as well as a Museum Certificate. He has worked at nonprofits, corporations, and educational institutions encouraging information literacy and effective education. Combining all of these degrees and experiences, Reed strives to promote ethical librarianship and educational initiatives.

Currently, Reed works as a Digital Initiatives Librarian at a college in Idaho and also has his own consulting firm, heplerconsulting.com. His views and projects can be seen on his LinkedIn page or his blog, CollaborAItion, on Substack. Contact him at reed.hepler@gmail.com for more information.

This Week in AI with Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon (August 30, 2024)

 

We've released our latest "This Week in AI" recording. Hope you enjoy! AI summary provided by summarize.tech: https://www.summarize.tech/youtu.be/Wd93wqzvMsM

00:00:00 - 00:25:00

In the August 30, 2024, episode of "This Week in AI," hosts Steve Hargadon and Reed Hepler discussed recent advancements in artificial intelligence technology. Google made headlines with new features for Gmail, including a chat bot for email searching and summarizing, as well as the rollout of Google Gems. However, OpenAI faced criticism for delayed rollouts, particularly the voice upgrade, and the departure of significant personnel. The hosts also touched upon the limitations of large language models and the importance of understanding how AI is trained. Steve Hargadon shared his experience using OpenAI and expressed concerns about unrealistic expectations for AI's ability to replicate human intelligence. They discussed various AI tools, including chatbots, and the economic models of content platforms. The effectiveness of first-generation robots and the surge in popularity of character AI were also discussed, with a focus on the importance of human agency in the use of AI tools. The hosts emphasized the role of humans in relation to advanced AI technologies and looked forward to exploring the implications of these developments further.

• 00:00:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video from August 30, 2024, hosts Steve Hargadon and Reed Hepler discuss recent developments in artificial intelligence technology. Google was a major focus of the news, with the announcement of new features for Gmail, including a chat bot for searching and summarizing emails, and the rollout of Google Gems, which functions as a customized version of GPts. Google's improvements to their AI technology, such as the correction of anachronistic depictions of individuals, were also highlighted. OpenAI, on the other hand, faced criticism for delayed rollouts, particularly the voice upgrade, which had been promised for months. The hosts also touched upon the departure of significant personnel from OpenAI and the resulting communication gap.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video from August 30, 2024, hosts Steve Hargadon and Reed Hepler discuss the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically the new version of Chat GBT 5, which is rumored to have more logic and independent thinking capabilities. Steve expresses his positive experience collaborating with the improved version and shares speculation about the potential introduction of groundbreaking AI technology, possibly even something "dramatic," this fall. The conversation then shifts to the topic of large language models and their inability to accurately identify the number of r's in the word "strawberry." This issue, according to Reed, arises because these models work with tokens rather than words, and the misunderstanding has led to debates about the capabilities and limitations of AI. The hosts also touch upon the importance of understanding how AI is trained and the potential consequences of misusing it.
• 00:10:00 In this section, Steve Hargadon shares his experience using OpenAI, expressing his astonishment at the model's ability to understand and assist him, leading him to question its lack of sentience. He also discusses his concerns about the unrealistic expectations we have for AI to replicate human intelligence, as humans are largely influenced by non-rational factors. Anthropic, another AI company, made news this week by making their cloud artifacts free and transparent, allowing users to see the conversation between the user and the AI model while creating websites or books. Additionally, Anthropic and OpenAI have expressed support for the California AI legislation, with both companies publishing their instructions given to their large language models. Steve Hargadon is curious about the extent to which these models are being shaped to conform to social and political boundaries and looks forward to learning more about the human feedback and instructions that influence their development.
• 00:15:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video from August 30, 2024, Steve Hargadon and Reed Hepler discuss their experiences with various AI tools, including chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Hargadon expresses his satisfaction with these tools' ability to summarize YouTube videos and articles, saving him time and helping him decide whether to watch full videos or not. However, he notes that none of them can access Substack articles, which is a drawback for him. Hepler adds that while he appreciates the transparency of the tools, they are not accessible to AI tools themselves, requiring more manual interactions. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about the economic models of Substack and Medium, with Hargadon expressing his preference for Medium's single fee for access to all paid content. They also mention a new $16,000 robot and reminisce about Honda's Asimo robot from 2000, which was more expensive and less advanced than current AI-enabled robots.
• 00:20:00 In this section of "This Week in AI - 30 August 2024", Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the effectiveness of first-generation robots, specifically Tesla's Cybertruck, and the surge in popularity of character AI. Hepler raises concerns about the Cybertruck's durability and wonders if it will be effective, while Hargadon expresses skepticism about its value. They also discuss the educational and emotional uses of character AI, which people prefer over human interaction due to the ease of text-based communication. Hepler emphasizes the importance of humans having agency in the use of AI tools and the need for educators to prepare students for an AI-driven world. Hargadon suggests that teaching about AI could be a valuable educational moment, but the general understanding of AI among educators may not be high enough for consistent effectiveness.
• 00:25:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video from August 30, 2024, hosts Steve Hargadon and Reed Hepler discuss the role of humans in relation to advanced AI technologies. Hargadon shares his experience of conversing with a language model, where he framed himself as the agent, emphasizing the importance of human involvement in the conversation. He expresses skepticism about AI sentience but acknowledges the potential for productivity enhancement through the use of these tools. The conversation then shifts to the question of how individuals will utilize these emerging technologies, with Hargadon suggesting the possibility of being passive recipients or active agents in the process. Hepler agrees, and they both look forward to exploring the implications of these developments in future episodes.

"TubeOnAI is an AMAZING program. I use it every day and it has dramatically changed my relationship with YouTube and videos. It's by far the AI tool that has had the most practical impact on me!" 

- Steve Hargadon

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