Julie Holmes at the 2024 Accelerate! Conference at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
If you’re hearing “AI is your new assistant” these days, it might sound promising, and maybe a little worrisome. After all, AI is here to help, but it’s not exactly ready to handle every task unsupervised. So, instead of an assistant, think of AI as a highly enthusiastic intern—let’s call him Chip. Chip has boundless energy, learns fast, and will happily tackle anything you throw his way. But like any intern, he’s only as effective as the guidance, training, and feedback you provide.
Why AI Makes a Great Intern (Not Assistant)
While we all dream of an assistant who can instantly take over tasks and leave us free to tackle high-level strategy, AI isn’t quite that capable (yet!). What AI can be is an intern: a reliable support tool that speeds things up, handles repetitive tasks, and takes care of the heavy lifting while you handle the big stuff.
Here are six key ways to set up “Intern Chip” for success, each of which we cover in-depth in other articles:
Set Realistic Expectations. Imagine you’ve just hired Chip. Would you expect him to know everything about your company on Day 1? Probably not. Chip doesn’t understand your unique business needs or preferences yet; he needs time and a bit of handholding. AI works similarly. By setting realistic expectations, you can avoid frustration and see Chip’s true potential. Chip might be lightning-fast, but he needs context and parameters to deliver the best results.
Choose Wisely. Like picking the right intern for the right role, AI needs to be matched with tasks it’s equipped to handle. Don’t ask Chip to create a whole new brand strategy if he’s best at data crunching or drafting email templates. Assign him tasks that align with his strengths, like scheduling, basic data analysis, or drafting first-pass content. In other words, play to AI’s strengths!
Provide Training and Context. Chip’s enthusiasm can only go so far without training. He’s good at collecting and organizing information but doesn’t “know” your clients, your style, or your preferences. You’ll need to guide him by showing examples, sharing your brand’s tone, and giving him context. Just like an intern benefits from training sessions, Chip learns from clear prompts and structured guidance, improving with each task.
Offer Clear Guidance. If you gave Chip a vague instruction, like “Write a proposal for the client,” he’d probably look lost. AI thrives on clarity, so be specific! Giving Chip a well-crafted prompt will yield far better results. The clearer and more detailed your instructions, the more polished Chip’s output will be. Check out my PREPARED Prompting Guide to get really good at this part!
Review and Give Feedback. No intern gets it right the first time, and AI is no exception. When Chip hands you a draft, think of it as his first try. Reviewing, tweaking, and providing feedback will help Chip improve with each iteration. This approach saves you time while building AI’s “understanding” of your preferences.
Beware of “Know-It-All” Syndrome. Chip is a fast learner, but he’s also confident—sometimes too confident. If you ask him about something beyond his knowledge base, he might make an educated guess, even if it’s wrong. Keep a close eye on any factual claims, industry-specific advice, or niche details he provides, and be prepared to verify his work to avoid misinformation (and embarrassment!).
Wrapping It Up: Working with Chip, Your AI Intern
When you approach AI like an intern, you’ll quickly find that Chip can handle a lot—freeing up your time for more strategic thinking. But if you jump in expecting him to be an assistant who does everything perfectly, frustration will likely follow. Chip is a powerful tool, and like any intern, he learns with time, training, and patience.
Start experimenting with your own “Chip” (whether it’s ChatGPT or another AI tool) by assigning small, well-defined tasks. With each assignment, you’ll see just how much a well-guided intern can do!
Like this kind of content?
As a member of the Wnbaz, stay on top of emerging trends and business issues impacting transportation and logistics; learn the importance of gender diversity in the workplace and the need for more women drivers; and see best practices in encouraging the employment of women in the trucking industry. Join today! Learn More
