What is Artificial Intelligence?

• By: admin
• On: 08/01/2024 15:55:54
• In: General Interest

ChatGPT. Gemini. Claude. Jasper. Vertex. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is everywhere, and there's no way of escaping it. What may have been considered a contrivance out of the mind of a science fiction author even a few decades ago is now a reality. Since the explosion of AI tools in recent years, professionals in every sector have integrated them into their business operations. And auctioneers are no exception.

But what is AI anyway?

When we talk about different artificial intelligence tools that can do everything from writing blog posts to cleaning up the backgrounds of photos to analyzing data, we're talking about machine learning technologies, which are software algorithms that can learn how to do specific tasks for you. And the more information you feed into these applications, the more adept they become at doing these tasks—ultimately freeing up your time by doing something within mere minutes that may have taken you hours.

Types of AI Tools

If you do a search for AI tools, you could spend the rest of the year perusing the numerous and seemingly ever-growing types of programs available. With such an abundance of options out there, you may be wondering which to choose. Here are some of the most popular tools used by professionals in the auction industry to help you narrow your search.

• ChatGPT. Created by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an AI text generator that allows you to converse with it to get what you want. Through a series of questions and answers, ChatGPT can do various tasks, from writing an auction description to building a LinkedIn profile for you.

• Gemini. Google's Gemini, formerly Bard, is a conversational AI chatbot like ChatGPT. It leverages the power of Google's vast data on the web to create text and images. Gemini can also be used with voice assistants, so if you want to ask it questions through Alexa or Siri, you can easily combine the programs.

• Claude. Claude AI, which Anthropic developed, is an AI chatbot that creates text, analyzes uploaded files, and summarizes websites when you input links. The program also has robust search capabilities, so you can find the specific information you're looking for in websites, databases, and documents.

• Cleanup.pictures. If you don't know how to use Photoshop or don't have the time to, Cleanup.pictures allows you to remove unwanted objects from photos quickly. Whether a photo has a defect or something in the background you don't want there, Cleanup.pictures can edit and enhance photos for you with graphic designer quality.

• Cleanvoice. If you're creating a podcast or YouTube video or just need goodquality audio to obtain a clean transcript, Cleanvoice uses AI to remove any background noise from a recording, as well as breathing, filler words, and dead air. The program works with recordings in English, German, and French.

How to Get Started With AI

If you still need to start using AI in your business and you're feeling a bit intimidated, you're not alone. It can be overwhelming, but auction professionals who have overcome this initial reluctance offer the following tips.

• Start small. Although you may feel overwhelmed as you research all of the AI tools out there, the good news is that you don't have to build Rome in one day. Sara Rose Bytnar, CAI, AARE, AMM, BAS, of Beth Rose Real Estate and Auctions, says starting small is a great approach that can help you get accustomed to using AI regularly. "The best way to get started is to just begin with one platform. Create an account, and start really small. I think it can be overwhelming; you can get too caught up in the endless ways to use AI," said Bytnar. "I think if you figure out a purpose and a process of implementing one piece of AI into your business— whether it's marketing or responding to Google reviews or examining your analytics—you can just pick a lane, start small, and really start to open up. Then, when you implement that part successfully, move on to something else. That way, you will have consistency over the long term."

• Find tutorials. If you're reluctant to use AI tools because you're afraid they will be too complicated, remember you don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are many resources out there to get you started, so you can find a plethora of information as you learn. Mike Fisher, CAI, AARE, AMM, GPPA, CES, BAS of Redfield Group Auctions says this is how he got started, and he found it easy to learn the basics. "I've attended live seminars, I've attended online seminars, and I have watched YouTube videos," said Fisher. "There is a wealth of information for somebody trying to learn on YouTube."

• Play around. There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to AI tools, so start by playing around to get a feel for what AI can do for you. Even these low-stakes experiments with AI can help you learn the technology and become more comfortable with it. "Just play around with it. You don't have to have anything big to start out with. You can even just ask it to give you an idea for a recipe based on what's in your fridge. If you want to start out with something super simple just to get a little bit more comfortable with it, I think that's a good place to start. Or you can upload a blog or some other sort of content and ask AI to check it for grammatical errors or make SEO suggestions," explained Charissa Bires, Director of Marketing at Grafe Auction. I think a lot of people don't want to start because it feels really big to them, but it doesn't really have to be. You can just start small with little things and play around with it until you feel comfortable."

• Don't overthink it. If you're considering using AI but not sure if you want to jump in, John Schultz, AMM, of Grafe Auction Company, suggests you stop overthinking it and dive right in and try it. After all, the technology is here, so you may as well get used to it. "If you're thinking about it, my recommendation is to stop thinking and maybe start doing because this rabbit is out of the hat," Schultz said. "If you wait too long, you're going to get passed by because this has just become part of business. So start using it."