In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly making its way into every industry, and the public relations profession is no exception. Until what seems like just a few minutes ago, writing was considered an entirely human domain. But, like it or not (and I very much do!), writing now involves interacting with generative AI tools like ChatGPT. And the fact is, these tools compel us writers to quickly evolve into something more akin to programmers as we learn to manipulate language differently, creating calculated input queries that produce persuasive, high-quality content. So how is ChatGPT reshaping the writing landscape, and why is it a game-changer for the writers among us who eagerly embrace it?

ChatGPT, with its human-like output abilities, uses large language models trained on huge amounts of data. Note that I said “output abilities” versus “writing abilities” – I’m making the important distinction that ChatGPT is a seriously sophisticated computer program, but not a writer in and of itself. The way Stanford economist Erik Brynjolfsson characterizes ChatGPT is that it “has turbocharged the discussion around how the new technologies can be used to give people new abilities.” But I believe that such new abilities won’t be “given” to us, but rather must be earned and acquired through the development of skillsets we’ve never really had to use before. And by learning how to effectively use AI, we can embrace a competitive advantage that pushes us ahead in our craft.

By using advanced algorithms, ChatGPT produces coherent, creative and engaging text based on the input the AI system receives. It's like having a clever writing assistant at our fingertips, ready to help us generate ideas or draft content on demand and based on our source ideas and directions. Therefore, the secret key to unlocking the full potential of ChatGPT lies in crafting the perfect input query. This is where writers must learn to think like programmers, as the quality and specificity of the input directly affect the output. The better the input, the more accurate and relevant the generated content will be.

Think Like a Programmer 

"Thinking like a programmer" means shifting to a problem-solving mindset that involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, bite-sized statements and specifications, identifying patterns and utilizing logical reasoning and abstraction to efficiently produce the desired results. This includes:

1. Analytical thinking: Programmers analyze a problem and determine all the necessary steps to reach a solution. This process often involves understanding the problem's constraints, inputs and expected outputs and “speaking” to the computer quite literally, leaving no detail to chance.
2. Decomposition: Breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts is a crucial aspect of programming. This makes it easier to understand and tackle each subproblem individually before combining the solutions to form the complete answer. For writing, this means using simple statement and giving specific unambiguous directions.
3. Pattern recognition: Programmers often look for patterns or trends in data and problems to identify commonalities and potential solutions. This can help streamline the problem-solving process and generate better outcomes. ChatGPT is, for example, really good at recognizing and mimicking a writer’s style and tone if you tell it to do so – if I’m using the AI to draft a blog post, I’ll include in my instructions that I want it to write in my style, referring the program to several of my previous blogs.
4. Abstraction: Programmers use abstraction to focus on the essential features of a problem while ignoring irrelevant details. This simplifies the problem-solving process and makes it easier to understand the core concepts. The more precise and clearer you are with your input, the more focused and persuasive your output will be.
5. Logical reasoning: Programming involves following a set of rules and applying logical reasoning and various programming constructs to make decisions, solve problems and to control the flow of a program. In our case, we’re taking hold of the rudder and steering the flow of ChatGPT’s thinking and textual results.
6. Debugging and testing: Programmers need to be proficient at identifying and fixing errors in their code. This involves carefully reviewing the code, testing it with various inputs and making adjustments as necessary to ensure it functions correctly. Don’t just take ChatGPT’s first results as the best you’re going to get. Analyze what worked and what didn’t work so well and improve your inputs accordingly.
7. Persistence and adaptability: Programmers often face challenges and obstacles when working on a project. As with debugging, thinking like a programmer means being persistent and adaptable, learning from mistakes and iterating on solutions until the desired outcome is achieved. Lather, rinse, repeat.
8. Collaboration and communication: Programmers often work in teams or need to communicate their ideas to others. Effective communication and collaboration skills are essential for sharing knowledge, discussing solutions and working together to solve complex problems. Likewise for writers, it is always beneficial to collaborate and share ideas, and our adoption of AI is no exception – talk with others about their successes and failures and you’ll incrementally improve with every ChatGPT session.

Mastering the art of crafting input queries requires practice, creativity and a keen understanding of the AI's capabilities. This is where writers can truly excel, as our natural flair for language and storytelling can be combined with the power of AI to create something truly unique and effective. It's not about handing over the creative reins to a machine, but rather finding a balanced partnership between human intuition and AI-generated content. The result is a powerful synergy that takes our writing quality and productivity to new heights.