Keeping Up
AI wins again. I had a batch of Word Files. I wanted a field inserted into the header of each document. I knew it could be done because five years ago I paid someone to write me a VBA macro to do a similar task. This time I simply asked ChatGPT for help. Quick as a wink I had a program. We gave it a few tweaks and just like that 300 files had a field inserted into a header on each document. It saved me time and money.
If an old guy like me can find such a use for the technology, I can only imagine what someone younger and more in tune with the times might do. I can remember writing batch files using DOS back in the day, and that was fun, but now all I’d need to do is state the task I want accomplished and an AI engine would spit out the code. That feels pretty sweet and encourages me to be a lot more creative in my thinking. I’ve always been a big fan of Excel and its spreadsheet predecessors (Lotus, Quattro, and Multiplan). There must be something I could analyze.
It gives me pleasure to feel in tune with the technical times. Like I’m keeping up. Like I’m still in the race. Also, it gives me some comfort that I’m using the technology rather than letting the technology use me. It’s how I’ve always felt about computers, software, and their smart phone cousins. They’re tools to be used. I’m not smart enough to get rich off them, but I’ve been able to ride the wave in my personal and business life, and that’s been a good thing in the long run. And I plan on running just a little bit longer, so AI just might be the help I need to keep going strong.