The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prevalent among Australian office workers, impacting various sectors such as banking, finance, weather forecasting, health, and medicine. While AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are commonly used for tasks like obtaining advice, finding information, and summarizing text, recent research shows that generative AI can be utilized for much more than that.
On one hand, AI tools are neutral and can be used for both positive and negative purposes depending on the user’s intentions. However, the models behind these tools can be biased based on their development process. Additionally, AI tools, especially image generators, consume a significant amount of power, contributing to the world’s energy consumption. Moreover, there are copyright concerns surrounding AI-generated outputs as the content used to train these models may not be owned by the organizations developing the AI.
Nevertheless, generative AI is an unavoidable part of society. Gaining knowledge about these tools can enhance digital literacy and provide a better understanding of their impact, ranging from beneficial to problematic.
The article then explores six different applications of generative AI:
1. Expanding the frame: Adobe’s “generative expand” tool allows users to extend the canvas of their photos and imagine what lies beyond the frame.
2. Visualizing the past or future: AI can be used to visualize historical events or predict future scenarios based on textual descriptions.
3. Brainstorming visual representations of complex concepts: AI can provide suggestions on how to visually represent difficult-to-visualize subjects, such as using familiar landmarks or creating layered illustrations.
4. Visualizing data: AI can be prompted with numbers or publicly available data to create visual representations, such as charts or graphs.
5. Creating simple animations: AI tools like Runway can animate photos or generate videos based on textual descriptions.
6. Generating color palettes and simple graphics: AI services like Midjourney or Gemini can create color palettes or icons for design purposes.
In addition to these applications, generative AI can also write code, translate content, compose music, and describe images, making it useful for tasks like writing alt-text descriptions and improving web accessibility for individuals with visual impairments.