With advancements in artificial intelligence technology and more tools becoming accessible to the average user, there are numerous ways people can utilize these innovations to maximize their productivity, from generating ideas and helping with organization to gathering research.
These tools not only assist individuals with daily tasks but also help businesses streamline their operations. Here’s what you need to know.
How does AI help productivity?
According to Forbes, a 2023 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found a 14% boost in issues resolved per hour when AI was introduced into a customer service office.
“AI assistance improves customer sentiment, reduces requests for managerial intervention, and improves employee retention,” the study stated.
The study found that AI mostly enhanced low-skilled workers, with minimal changes to the productivity of higher-skilled workers. However, there is clear evidence that AI is boosting overall job performance.
“Professionals who can adeptly harness the capabilities of large language models, such as OpenAI’s GPT-4, will undoubtedly gain a competitive advantage over those who do not embrace these cutting-edge advancements,” Egor Nazarov, chief marketing officer at Soter Analytics, told Forbes.
“Progressive organizations will leverage AI to unlock their workforce’s full potential,” Nazarov continued, “whereas regressive companies may choose to eliminate positions in response to automation.”
Top AI productivity software
With the advent of AI, many companies are developing and promoting their own AI tools. This raises the question of which software is worth your time and what functions they provide.
One of the most familiar forms of AI is chatbots like ChatGPT. Users input a request through text, and these chatbots generate either a text or image response depending on the request.
Here are some AI software tools that can boost productivity:
ChatGPT
ChatGPT recently released its newest version, GPT-4o, which offers an improved user experience.
ChatGPT can be used for its standard chatbot application for free as previously mentioned, or users can opt for the premium version at $20 per month.
The standard version provides text responses, while the premium version includes access to the DALL-E image generator. Additionally, premium users can customize and train GPTs for specific tasks, streamlining ongoing projects. Training GPTs can be complex, but numerous YouTube tutorials are available to help.
Grammarly
Grammarly has long been a helpful Google Chrome extension for spellchecking. With AI advancements, it now also assists with the tone and style of writing.
While the free version of Grammarly provides some basic features like spellcheck, to access the advance features, the premium subscription is necessary, which costs $12 a month. The free version offers 100 prompts from its AI software, which can be used to rewrite sections of text, and the premium version offers 1,000 prompts per month.
Otter.ai
This AI software is ideal for transcribing meetings and interviews. It connects to programs like Zoom and Teams, keeping track of schedules, taking notes and summarizing meetings. The intuitive transcription software distinguishes between different speakers and can upload and transcribe additional audio and video files.
The free version transcribes up to 300 minutes of conversation and allows a lifetime total of three audio or video uploads. The premium version, at $10 per month, transcribes 1,200 minutes per month and allows 10 audio or video uploads a month.
Implementing AI into your workflow
With many different programs available, each with unique software to learn, it can be challenging to implement AI. However, mastering one makes others easier to use. Most websites offer helpful guides, and YouTube is full of additional resources.
According to BairesDev, a software services company, when implementing AI, it is important to determine your goal while analyzing your current workflow. Once that is done you can identify needs that AI could simplify and choose a program that fulfills those needs while considering its cost and ease of use.
Finally, the program should be implemented and monitored in how it impacts your workflow. If there is no significant change, it may not be the right option, and you should consider alternatives.
“Generative AI, like disruptive innovations before it, enables humans to do things faster and often better,” Cliff Jurkiewicz, vice president of global strategy for Phenom, told Forbes. “The line between non-technical and technical is irrevocably blurred. There are few roles where technology doesn’t or can’t play its part.”