Small Business Shared Interest Group

Clecio,

What a great question!  I am the owner of a small business based in the US.  My experience with getting started with AI is likely similar to other small businesses.  There are two main avenues I have used.  The first is the use of ChatGPT for what I will call creative tasks.  We started, like everyone else, with the basic questions like "Please write me a job description for xxxxx".  The use of Chat GPT has escalated to more complex things, like testing validity of assumptions.  As an example, "How much oil is lost in the popping of corn in an industrial popper?"  We don't use Chat GPT as a final answer on these types of things, but we find it to be a good check on the decisions we make.  

Secondly, we are exploring the use of AI functions in the various software programs that we use.  As an example, Quickbooks has come out with new AI functionality.  Even though it often takes time up front to truly get to know the new features, we are taking the time!  We are finding that in the end, the features are actually becoming more precise and true time savers.  Another example would be Shopify.  We use Shopify for our online platform and point of sale in store.  In Shopify, you can use their AI to ask things like, "I need a report that provides the monthly sales by employee, show tip performance against those sales".  Believe it or not, it actually works!  I no longer have to try to develop reports manually and struggle with how to build them.

In summary, I think the first step is to get used to AI, by using what is in front of you.  Then you can begin to explore more complex applications.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best!    

Clecio,

What a great question!  I am the owner of a small business based in the US.  My experience with getting started with AI is likely similar to other small businesses.  There are two main avenues I have used.  The first is the use of ChatGPT for what I will call creative tasks.  We started, like everyone else, with the basic questions like "Please write me a job description for xxxxx".  The use of Chat GPT has escalated to more complex things, like testing validity of assumptions.  As an example, "How much oil is lost in the popping of corn in an industrial popper?"  We don't use Chat GPT as a final answer on these types of things, but we find it to be a good check on the decisions we make.  

Secondly, we are exploring the use of AI functions in the various software programs that we use.  As an example, Quickbooks has come out with new AI functionality.  Even though it often takes time up front to truly get to know the new features, we are taking the time!  We are finding that in the end, the features are actually becoming more precise and true time savers.  Another example would be Shopify.  We use Shopify for our online platform and point of sale in store.  In Shopify, you can use their AI to ask things like, "I need a report that provides the monthly sales by employee, show tip performance against those sales".  Believe it or not, it actually works!  I no longer have to try to develop reports manually and struggle with how to build them.

In summary, I think the first step is to get used to AI, by using what is in front of you.  Then you can begin to explore more complex applications.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best!    

Clecio,

What a great question!  I am the owner of a small business based in the US.  My experience with getting started with AI is likely similar to other small businesses.  There are two main avenues I have used.  The first is the use of ChatGPT for what I will call creative tasks.  We started, like everyone else, with the basic questions like "Please write me a job description for xxxxx".  The use of Chat GPT has escalated to more complex things, like testing validity of assumptions.  As an example, "How much oil is lost in the popping of corn in an industrial popper?"  We don't use Chat GPT as a final answer on these types of things, but we find it to be a good check on the decisions we make.  

Secondly, we are exploring the use of AI functions in the various software programs that we use.  As an example, Quickbooks has come out with new AI functionality.  Even though it often takes time up front to truly get to know the new features, we are taking the time!  We are finding that in the end, the features are actually becoming more precise and true time savers.  Another example would be Shopify.  We use Shopify for our online platform and point of sale in store.  In Shopify, you can use their AI to ask things like, "I need a report that provides the monthly sales by employee, show tip performance against those sales".  Believe it or not, it actually works!  I no longer have to try to develop reports manually and struggle with how to build them.

In summary, I think the first step is to get used to AI, by using what is in front of you.  Then you can begin to explore more complex applications.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best!