Generative AI isn’t a passing fad; it’s becoming the next big thing for professionals. Companies are integrating generative AI in their software, making it crucial employees can use generative AI with ease. If you’re not sure what generative AI is or how to use it, then get up to speed with my generative AI: mastering prompting course.

The leading generative AI programs that offer free services are Gemini, ChatGPT, Canva, Midjourney, and Microsoft Designer. They don’t all do the same thing, but each requires prompting to work. Let’s look at the three ways you can prompt those generative AI programs right now.

Drafting Notes

Currently, ChatGPT is the best generative AI for spit balling ideas and turning notes into first drafts. Like I showed in this Monday’s Prompt, you turn notes into drafts by following three steps:

1. Collect your notes and copy + paste them into ChatGPT.

2. Instruct ChatGPT to reorganize them into the draft format you want. It can be an outline, topics with bullets, or a full draft report.

3. Copy + paste what ChatGPT made and use for your benefit.

 Don’t waste your time reorganizing your notes. Let ChatGPT do it for you so you can focus on that project or idea you haven’t had the time to get to.

Receiving Feedback

After collecting your notes and organizing them into a first draft, you’re ready for some feedback. Here’s a tip: Instruct ChatGPT to review your work as if it were a coworker or your supervisor. This will help you be proactive in identifying weak points. For external work, ChatGPT is great for a different perspective on how your social media post or company-wide Slack post will be received.

Again, don’t expect ChatGPT to think of everything, but be specific about what you want it to give feedback on, and it’ll save you a possible headache.

Designing Images

For designing a picture, Canva and Microsoft Designer work wonders. (Midjourney is the best design generative AI, but it is not user friendly to beginners.) If you’re unsure how to use them, this “Monday’s Prompt” has you covered. Again, ALL generative AI programs must be prompted, but here’s a hack: Focus on the style of the design when writing your prompt, using words such as, watercolor, ultra-modern, or simply wanting a pleasant and positive mood.

Unlike ChatGPT, designing takes a bit of patience since the programs still have difficulty following extremely detailed prompts. Expect the programs to not follow your instructions perfectly, so be flexible with the end results. 

All in all, generative AI isn’t a passing fad. Each of the leading programs is designed differently, but ALL need to be prompted to work. By using generative AI to scan and draft your notes, provide feedback, and design your graphics right now, you can shorten your production time using generative AI as your assistant. Remember to save your prompts showing that the generative AI is your assistant, not fearing it as your replacement.