Using ChatGPT for CI/MI
By Arthurs Weiss (AWARE)
A big question for many CI / MI professionals is how to use the new LLM artificial intelligence software for CI/MI. One approach suggested is to use it for research but there have been multiple reports that what comes out is not particularly reliable – often the AI tool lies (or in technical terms, hallucinates). This seems to apply to all of them. My tests have asked for top CI authors or papers – and some suggestions don’t exist at all.
Further problems include that:
- The data is often old – as the tools depend on information fed into it and so won’t have the most recent information.
- The data may not include information from password protected sites that you could have access to manually
- The sources used are generally not provided (although this is not the case with perplexity.ai, scite.ai and Bing Chat (ChatGPT4 available via Edge).
So how can you use the tools – and which tool should you use.
There are several that have appeared – ChatGPT4 linked to Edge and available on Bing; ChatGPT3.5 at https://chat.openai.com/, Google Bard (https://bard.google.com/) , Perplexity.ai as four (of many more) examples.
I think that until the aforementioned problems of hallucination, old data, and lack of sources is solved, the best approach is for report writing where you provide the data, writing questionnaires, or for writing specific emails / questions. As an example of how the tools differ, I considered a scenario where you couldn’t attend a conference where a speaker of interest was talking. Perhaps this was a competitor. Perhaps they were talking about a new technology or market or giving a case study.
So I asked ChatGPT (3.5), Bard and Perplexity.ai the same question:
Write an email to a specific speaker at a business conference you couldn't attend because your company wasn't willing to pay the conference fee. Ask the speaker if their talk was recorded and if so could they send you the recording or if not, could they send you a copy of the slides.
These were the responses:
ChatGPT
Subject: Request for Recording or Slides of Your Talk at [Conference Name]
Dear [Speaker's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to you as an enthusiastic follower of your work and a keen attendee who was unfortunately unable to participate in the [Conference Name] held on [Conference Dates]. It was truly disappointing to miss the opportunity to hear you speak, as I hold great respect for your expertise and insights in the [industry/domain].
Regrettably, my company was unwilling to cover the conference fee this year, but I firmly believe that your talk would have been a valuable addition to my professional development. With that in mind, I would like to kindly request if there is a recording of your talk available, or alternatively, if you could share a copy of the presentation slides used during your session. It would be immensely appreciated if I could still benefit from your knowledge and perspectives, even if I couldn't attend in person.
Having followed your previous presentations and contributions, I am aware of the depth and quality of your insights. Your expertise has always provided me with valuable guidance and a fresh perspective on the [industry/domain] we work in. Thus, receiving a recording or the presentation slides from your talk at [Conference Name] would be of tremendous value to me.
If a recording exists, I kindly request your assistance in sharing it with me. Alternatively, if a copy of the slides is available, I would greatly appreciate receiving those. Your generosity in sharing your knowledge would not only benefit me but also contribute to the growth and knowledge sharing within our industry.
Please let me know if it would be possible for you to fulfill my request. I am more than happy to comply with any terms or conditions you may have regarding the use or sharing of the materials. Your intellectual property and preferences will be respected at all times.
Thank you very much for considering my request. Your contribution to the [industry/domain] community is highly regarded, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue learning from you, even if it's through remote means.
Looking forward to your kind response.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Position/Title] [Company/Organization Name] [Email Address] [Phone Number]
Bard
Dear [Speaker Name],
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is [Your Name] and I'm a [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I'm writing to you today because I was very interested in attending your talk at the [Conference Name] conference last week, but unfortunately my company wasn't willing to pay the conference fee.
I've been following your work for a few years now and I'm always impressed by your insights and expertise. I was particularly interested in hearing your talk about [Topic of Talk]. I believe that your insights would be incredibly valuable to me and my team, and I'm sure that we would all benefit from hearing your perspective.
I'm wondering if your talk was recorded. If so, I would be very grateful if you could send me a copy of the recording. If not, I would also be grateful if you could send me a copy of the slides that you used for your talk.
I understand if you're unable to do either of these things, but I would be very appreciative if you could consider my request.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Perpexity.ai
Dear [Speaker's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I was really looking forward to attending your talk at the [Conference Name] last week, unfortunately, my company was not willing to pay the conference fee. I was wondering if your talk was recorded and if so, could you please send me the recording? Alternatively, if the talk was not recorded, could you please send me a copy of the slides? I would really appreciate it.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Of the three, ChatGPT gives by far the most detailed answer while Perplexity gave virtually nothing more than the question asked. When I’ve tried this on other scenarios of this type, I’ve always preferred the ChatGPT answer, but Perplexity sometimes is better than Bard. Note that this is why you ask the AI to write an email or similar. The responses you get for research questions are very different and for that I think Bing Chat (ChatGPT 4) and Perplexity tend to give better responses. Also all are being further developed so don’t give up on Bard which was rushed out in response to the ChatGPT threat. It will improve and could even end up being the best of the lot. However currently, I think all seem to be better than Bing Chat for this sort of question showing that depending on one tool may mean you miss out on other ideas.
Of course, you’d probably want to edit the emails anyway to make them more specific for your a real situation but they can speed up the work like anything. The key lesson is that no one tool fixes all – it’s worth experimenting and choosing which response is best. (And don’t worry about the time. Consider how long it would take to write the email without the starter given by the AI tool).
Trade show example
But here’s another example – although just with ChatGPT. Notice that I didn’t ask for an email in my first question and so had to ask a follow on question. Whether you agree with the responses is irrelevant. My point is to show how these tools can give ideas that simplify the planning processes (and in fact, I suspect the email wouldn’t get answered if the sales person knew who you were or worked for).
As a competitive intelligence analyst, you want to get some information on a competitor exhibiting at a trade show. You've heard a rumour that the competitor is about to launch a new product within the next 6 months but there's no indicator of this on their trade show stand. What sort of questions could you ask a sales person at their stand to elicit the relevant information and get details without scaring them into refusing to answer you.
ChatGPT
Subject: Inquiry Regarding [Competitor's Company] and Potential Product Launch
Dear [Sales Person's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am a competitive intelligence analyst specializing in [industry/domain]. I had the pleasure of visiting the [Trade Show Name] where I had the opportunity to stop by your exhibit at [Competitor's Company]. I was impressed by the products and solutions showcased, particularly given your company's reputation for innovation and market leadership.
During my visit, I couldn't help but wonder about any upcoming developments or plans that [Competitor's Company] may have in the pipeline. As an analyst, my role involves gathering information about industry trends, product launches, and advancements, which is crucial for our strategic planning and market analysis.
While I was intrigued by the offerings presented at the trade show, I also understand that sometimes companies reserve their most exciting developments for later announcements. I wanted to reach out and see if you would be willing to provide some insights or shed light on any potential new products or initiatives that [Competitor's Company] might be working on.
I completely understand the need for discretion and the competitive nature of our industry. Rest assured that any information shared will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for internal analysis purposes. My goal is to ensure that our company stays abreast of the latest advancements, so we can continue to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving market landscape.
If there are any updates or exciting projects that you can share, even in broad terms, it would greatly aid our understanding of the industry landscape and help us anticipate future trends. Alternatively, if you could provide any guidance on where I might find more information about [Competitor's Company]'s upcoming endeavors, it would be highly appreciated.
I value the opportunity to connect with industry experts like yourself, as your insights and perspectives carry great weight in our decision-making processes.
Thank you in advance for considering my request, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
[Your Name] [Your Position/Title] [Company/Organization Name] [Email Address] [Phone Number]
As I hadn’t asked for an email I followed up with:
What sort of questions would you ask in person at the sales show
The answer given was not bad in principle although I suspect that some of these questions would raise red flags.
When engaging in conversation with the salesperson at the trade show, it's important to approach the discussion tactfully and gather information without raising suspicion. Here are some questions you could ask to elicit relevant information without alarming the salesperson:
General Industry and Market Questions:
- How do you perceive the current state of the [industry/domain]?
- Are there any emerging trends or developments that you find particularly interesting?
- How do you see [Competitor's Company] positioning itself in the market?
Product Strategy and Roadmap:
- Can you tell me more about the products/services [Competitor's Company] currently offers?
- Are there any product updates or enhancements in the works?
- Is [Competitor's Company] exploring new markets or customer segments?
Customer Needs and Feedback:
- What are some common challenges or pain points that customers are currently facing?
- Has there been any recent feedback from customers regarding desired product improvements or features?
- How does [Competitor's Company] prioritize customer feedback in its product development process?
Research and Development:
- Does [Competitor's Company] have an active research and development department?
- Can you share any insights on ongoing projects or innovations being pursued?
- Are there any partnerships or collaborations that [Competitor's Company] is engaged in for research purposes?
Trade Show Focus:
- What specific goals did [Competitor's Company] have for this trade show?
- Were there any specific products or solutions that [Competitor's Company] was emphasizing during the event?
- Can you share any recent successes or milestones achieved by [Competitor's Company]?
Remember to maintain a friendly and professional demeanor throughout the conversation, expressing genuine interest in the industry and the competitor's company. Avoid pushing too hard or directly asking about confidential information, as it could make the salesperson reluctant to provide any further details. The goal is to gather insights and hints that can help inform your competitive intelligence analysis.
Do you want to learn more about all the new stuff in online Research?
Then you might consider our workshop by Arthur Weiss in February, also faculty for ICI-25, ICI-28 and ICI-34 (English).