Harnessing the Power of AI: One Grad’s Approach in Work, Marketing, and Travel

Last week, I asked current student Ryan Brennan to write a post with me about how he’s using AI. This week, I heard from recent grad Troy Brennan ( Class of 2023; B.S. in Computer Science, Minor in Entrepreneurship; former student assistant to the Department of Management and Marketing — woot woot!).

I asked if he’d write a quick blog post on the various ways he using AI. He sent me this in the time it took for me to drive my daughter to her sport (less than 10 minutes).

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly integrated into various aspects of our lives, revolutionizing how we approach tasks both professionally and personally. I’ve found AI tools indispensable for four specific areas in my day-to-day activities: work, marketing, meetings, and personal travel planning. Each of these tasks benefits uniquely from different AI applications, enabling me to be more efficient, creative, and precise. Let me take you through how I use AI in these areas.

1. AI for Rapid Prototyping and Design in Work

When it comes to building prototypes and mockups at work, speed and precision are key. That’s where v0.dev comes into play. This tool allows me to go beyond just creating visual representations of projects. v0.dev generates actual code in real-time based on the design you prompt it to create. What sets this tool apart is its ability to create a working prototype that functions with the chosen programming language, not just a static image. I am not a designer or a developer, but with this tool, I become both overnight!

Using v0.dev, I can quickly draft up user interfaces, layouts, and components, all while being able to see the code develop in parallel. This means I don’t have to spend extra time coding from scratch after visualizing a mockup—the tool bridges the gap between design and functionality seamlessly. What’s more, once the base design is ready, I can tweak and customize it further, allowing for fast iterations and an overall smoother workflow.

2. AI in Marketing: Streamlining Content Creation

In the world of marketing, content creation can sometimes be a labor-intensive process, particularly when deadlines are tight, and creativity feels in short supply. That’s where Jasper AI steps in. Jasper has been a game changer for my marketing tasks. I simply input the general idea of the content I need, and the tool guides me through a series of questions to fine-tune the focus. Whether it’s a blog post, email copy, or social media content, Jasper gathers the necessary details and generates a polished draft.

Jasper’s ability to tailor the writing to a specific tone, style, or audience ensures that the final output fits the brand’s voice. It’s not just a writing assistant; it’s a content strategist. This has allowed me to save countless hours brainstorming and drafting content, while still maintaining quality and relevance. For example, if I need a blog post discussing a product launch or a promotional email targeting a specific audience segment, Jasper can handle it with ease.

In addition to Jasper, we’ve taken things a step further by developing a custom GPT model built specifically on information about our company. This model is fed with data like past success stories, marketing methods, and previously published articles, enabling it to learn and understand our brand’s voice and goals. By using this custom GPT, we can query the model for content ideas, marketing strategies, or even precise wording for new material. Whether we’re targeting a new industry or exploring a subject where we believe we can make an impact, the model helps ensure the messaging is aligned with our company’s identity and past successes. This tailored approach has been instrumental in refining our marketing strategy and exploring new opportunities with confidence.

3. AI for Meetings: Streamlining Note-Taking and Feedback

Another AI tool I rely on daily is Read.ai. This virtual assistant for meetings allows me and my team to focus on the conversation instead of taking notes. Read.ai takes a transcript of the entire meeting and even goes beyond note-taking. It rates the sentiment and interest levels of participants, provides a breakdown of engagement, and over time, it even tracks metrics like my attention and attendance levels. This type of insight helps me reflect on my performance in meetings and also provides a clear picture of how my team is reacting during important discussions. It’s like having a personal assistant always present, helping us get the most out of every meeting while letting us focus on what matters.

4. AI for Personal Use: Crafting Travel Itineraries

On a personal level, I’ve found AI incredibly useful for planning travel itineraries. ChatGPT, particularly when using GPT-4 and above, has been an invaluable assistant in organizing trips. I’ve even built a custom GPT model tailored to my preferences as a traveler. This model understands my style of travel—whether I prefer cultural experiences, nature, or city exploration—allowing me to create loose travel itineraries that suit my needs.

When planning a trip, I’ll prompt the model with details like my destination, length of stay, and any must-see spots I’m aware of. The model will suggest additional activities, provide estimated times for each attraction, and even recommend the best order to visit them. For areas I know little about, I’ll rely on it for recommendations on what to see or how to allocate my time effectively. It’s like having a personal travel guide that knows exactly what I enjoy. This has been a game changer for figuring out how long to stay in a particular region or planning a realistic itinerary.

By Troy Brennan and ChatGPT

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Troy is currently in Peru. Last week, he spent 4 nights camping in the Amazon. Peru is his 29th country to visit. He traveled to many of these countries while at CofC via study abroad, and has traveled to many, many more since graduating.