Getting paid to fix AI's errors 👀

Hi Non-Techies,

I’ve got some fun updates from AI land today. AI land isn’t an actual place, by the way, but I can see it being some weird, dystopian theme park 10 years from now. Let’s all make a note to organise a group trip once it’s open.

I’m a big advocate for AI (in case you hadn’t guessed), but by pure coincidence, most of this week’s newsletter is about the stuff AI can’t do.

I hope that it gives you a few case studies to whip out the next time someone says that we’re all being replaced.

Claude’s weird, hilarious vending machine challenge.

Regular readers of this newsletter will know that I rate Anthropic’s Claude AI. It’s a great writer, but as with any chatbot, it can do way more than just write.

Anthropic, keen to demonstrate Claude’s abilities in other areas, recently ran an experiment. The premise was simple: Give Claude full responsibility over an office vending machine and see if it can turn a profit.

They created an agent called Claudius, armed it with access to a web browser and gave it an email address that customers could use to request new stock items.

The experiment got pretty weird, pretty quickly. From stocking tungsten cubes to telling its customers it would start delivering products in person (wearing a blue blazer and a red tie, obviously), Claudius went a bit off the rails.

If you fancy a laugh, you can read the whole article here.

Add vending machine operator to the list of jobs that are safe from AI for now.

The AI Fixer.

Speaking of AI taking our jobs, I stumbled upon an article the other week that spotlighted a new job category it’s created: AI Fixers.

Sarah Skidd, a copywriter, is being paid hefty amounts to improve low-quality, AI-generated copy. And she’s not the only one. According to the article, more and more copywriters are finding a niche in fixing AI-written copy that’s either boring, generic or downright wrong.

It’s easy to imagine equivalent roles in other niches. From programming to design to customer service, human involvement isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s an “OMG we need this ASAP” for businesses using AI to cut corners.

AI Fixers are among plenty of jobs that AI has created. Another? AI Trainers. If you want to save companies from ever needing an AI Fixer, I run a course that’ll transform you from Non-Techie to qualified AI Trainer by mid-October.

Click the button below to learn more about that:

OpenAI’s quiet project.

Like most tech CEOs, OpenAI’s Sam Altman wants his tech to be so deeply embedded in the day-to-day lives of its users that they can’t function without it. Morning coffee, 11am snack, OpenAI.

That might explain why OpenAI has been quietly building a competitor to Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, which will include collaborative document editing and integrated chat features.

I’m intrigued by this, not least because Microsoft owns 49% of OpenAI’s for-profit arm. But it also begs the question, how different can it be? After all, MS Office and Google Workspace already integrate generative AI into their tools.

Will OpenAI’s version really be so much better that it’ll justify the pain of migrating away from the incumbents?

Obvs I’ll be answering that question when it’s rolled out.

I'm giving away something I literally never do anymore.

People constantly ask for 1:1 consultancy sessions with me, but I've been too swamped to offer them since my business grew. However, you now have the opportunity to win one for free find details below!

Hubspot is running "The New Era of Demand: 5 AI-Powered Quick Wins for Modern Marketers" Masterclass with Emmy Jonassen (VP of Demand Generation) and Jonathan Hunt (VP of Media) from HubSpot.

Since we're talking quick wins, here are 3 ChatGPT hacks you can use right now:

1. Stop the AI-speak: Add "Avoid using em dashes and [whatever else annoys you] in responses, or I'll penalise you $200" to your Custom Instructions

2. Make it critique itself: After any response, ask "Is that the best you can do? Identify 3 flaws and rewrite to fix them"

3. Use Projects properly: They're not just folders - they're mini workspaces with separate Custom Instructions for different clients

The masterclass is Thursday 17th July at 3pm BST. Live only, no recording.

In recognition of this masterclass, I’m giving away a free 1:1 consultancy session.

To enter, simply register and attend the live session, then share your top takeaway in a separate LinkedIn post and tag me. I’ll be picking the best one by Friday 18th July 4pm BST  to win a 1:1 session! .

This giveaway is not affiliated with LinkedIn or Hubspot

Register here: https://hubs.la/Q03tNX9M0

Anyway, this Friday I’m captain on a giant pirate ship so I’d better prepare. I’ll explain why in next week’s email.

See you soon, maties (I can’t pull that off, but it’s done now).

Captain Heather