Lately, I’ve been experimenting a little with two of my favorite free-to-use AI software tools, ChatGPT and DALL-E, which are made by a company called OpenAI. To be honest, the thing I love to do the most is use ChatGPT to create custom messages for my homemade greeting cards. Like for Mother’s Day, I had it create messages for my mom and my mother-in-law by typing in “create a Mother’s Day poem for a grandmother who likes puzzles” and “create a Mother’s Day poem for a grandmother who likes flowers.” I was really happy with both of the poems that ChatGPT came up with, and my mom and mother-in-law thought the poems were really cute.
To explain the two AI tools a little bit, ChatGPT involves words, and DALL-E involves pictures. ChatGPT is a lot like automated chat services found on customer service websites. People can ask it questions, and it will search the internet and use its smarts to compose answers, usually within seconds. DALL-E is different because it can produce realistic images from text you type.
In addition to using ChatGPT for fun, I have also used ChatGPT for work. I wanted an image that I could use in both my August newsletter and for this blog, and I was having a hard time coming up with something that pertained to website design. I thought, “How about I just use ChatGPT to come up with something, and then I can copy and paste that into DALL-E and see what it comes up with. I asked ChatGPT, “What is something fun to ask DALL-E to create that would pertain to a website designer?”
This is what it came up with: “You could ask DALL-E, “Create an imaginative scene where a website designer is crafting a virtual cityscape using lines of code as building blocks. The city should be vibrant and futuristic, with neon lights illuminating the digital skyscrapers. The whole scene should capture the essence of a website designer conjuring a digital realm.”
If you take a look at the image above, I think ChatGPT did a pretty good job. Interestingly, DALL-E makes four images for every prompt. Sorry to say the other three images weren’t very good. But I did like this one a lot.
Another thing I had some fun with is that I took a graphic image logo that I designed for my client, The Yard Buddha (yardbuddha.com), and I asked DALL-E to make it into a realistic photo image. Take a look at the images below,
I asked DALL-E to make a realistic photo of a yellow lab sitting and wearing a brown Buddha robe. It looks pretty good if you ask me. If you scale it up, the eyes on the dog are kind of weird looking, but other than that, I think it nailed it.
If you are interested in using these tools, the first thing you need to do is to sign up for a free account with OpenAI by visiting openai.com. Next, click “Menu” in the upper right corner. Choose “Sign Up.” Fill out the form with your email address, new password, and any other required information. Click the “Create Account” button. Then you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to verify your account. Click the link to complete the verification process and log in to your account.
To access ChatGPT from the OpenAI website home page (openai.com), click on “ChatGPT” in the “Product” section at the bottom of the page. Click on the “Try ChatGPT” button. Then sign in with your OpenAI account credentials. Start typing your question or conversation and hit enter.
To access DALL-E, visit the OpenAI website home page (openai.com). Click on “DALL-E” in the “Product” section at the bottom of the page. Scroll to the bottom of the DALL-E page and click “Try DALL-E.” Click “Log in.” and enter your OpenAI account credentials. Start typing a detailed description of the image you want to create and hit “Generate.” I asked Chat-GPT what some fun things to ask DALL-E to make, and here is the list:
“A giant rubber duck floating in a cup of tea.”
“A cityscape made entirely of candy.”
“A panda riding a skateboard on a rainbow.”
“A steampunk-themed underwater city.”
“A dragon playing chess with a robot.”
“A futuristic treehouse in a jungle on Mars.”
“A mermaid riding a unicorn through a field of stars.”
“A floating castle made of balloons.”
“A sushi roll with legs running a marathon.”
“A library with books made of chocolate.”
Using AI for Business
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, small businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out and connect with their target audience. By using ChatGPT and DALL-E, businesses can now have access to powerful tools that can enhance their operations and customer interactions. These two remarkable AI systems have emerged as game-changers helping revolutionize how small businesses operate and engage with their customers.
The Power of ChatGPT
ChatGPT can understand context, answer queries, and engage in natural-sounding conversations. For small businesses, integrating ChatGPT can lead to various advantages. When I asked ChatGPT to name some things that it can help small businesses with, it listed:
- Content Creation: Writing quality content for blogs, social media, and newsletters can be time-consuming. ChatGPT can assist in generating compelling content, freeing up valuable time for small business owners to focus on other critical tasks.
- Language Translation: For businesses with an international customer base, language barriers can be a challenge. ChatGPT can provide real-time translation, enabling seamless communication and expanding market reach.
- Data Analysis and Insights: AI models can help small businesses analyze large datasets for market research, customer behavior, and trends. This data-driven approach can inform business decisions and strategies.
- Automation: Small businesses can automate routine tasks like data entry, appointment scheduling, and basic customer inquiries using AI chatbots, freeing up human resources for more value-added activities.
Unleashing Creativity with DALL-E
One of my favorite bits of trivia about DALL-E is how it got its name. DALL-E is an amalgam between Salvador Dali (the surrealist artist) and WALL-E (the Disney/Pixar movie from 2008). When I asked ChatGPT, “What are some of the things that DALL-E can do for small businesses?” This is what it came up with:
- Visualizing Ideas: Entrepreneurs often struggle to convey their creative vision to designers and artists. DALL-E can bring ideas to life by creating visual representations based on textual descriptions. This enhances collaboration and ensures that everyone is on the same page.
- Product Design: For businesses involved in product manufacturing, DALL-E can streamline the design process. It can generate prototypes and concepts based on written specifications, saving time and resources.
- Marketing Materials: Small businesses can create eye-catching marketing materials using DALL-E. Whether it’s generating unique graphics for social media campaigns or designing attention-grabbing advertisements, DALL-E can contribute to a more visually appealing brand presence.
- Enhanced User Experience: Websites and apps can become more engaging by incorporating DALL-E-generated visuals. Interactive elements based on user descriptions can captivate audiences and make the user experience more memorable.
- Improve Sales and Lead Generation: Implement AI-powered sales tools that can analyze leads, predict which leads are more likely to convert, and prioritize them for sales teams. AI can also assist in sales forecasting.
Hopefully, your small businesses will have the opportunity to implement and leverage technologies like ChatGPT and DALL-E. There are so many uses and possibilities it seems like the sky’s the limit.
