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Making AI Your Friend: A Beginner's Guide Into Artificial Intelligence

Writer's picture: Katya KingKatya King

Katya King | Student, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management
Katya King | Student, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

A Note from founder, Lori Ryan: 

At Lorignite, we believe everyone deserves a seat at the AI table. When Katya King, our first team member, joined us as an intern while studying marketing and entrepreneurial management at the University of Minnesota, I knew her fresh perspective would resonate with many who are just starting their AI journey. Her story perfectly captures what we stand for at Lorignite, making AI approachable, relatable, and genuinely useful.


Reading Katya's experience highlighted something fascinating: AI tools create two kinds of uncertainty. Some people feel lost about where to start, while others, like Katya, think they have it all figured out – until they discover there's so much more to explore. This is why her journey from confidence to curiosity is so valuable. Whether you're taking your first steps with AI or thinking you've mastered it, there's always something new to discover when you look at these tools through fresh eyes.




Here's her experience reflecting on her first week.


 

The AI Dilemma: Friend or Foe?

Many of us approach artificial intelligence with a mix of curiosity and caution. As a marketing student, I've watched AI transform from a sci-fi concept to a daily part of people’s lives. With AI making headlines daily, it's natural to question whether this technology is here to help or hinder us. Through my recent experiences at Lorignite, I've discovered it's less about choosing sides and more about understanding how to work with AI effectively as we prepare for a technology-filled future. 


My Journey Starts Here 

Before starting at Lorignite, I thought I was an expert at AI. I soon realized there was much more to be learned. Last week I attended my first AI presentation hosted by Applied AI, "90 Minutes of Artificial Intelligence Inspiration”. During those jam-packed 90 minutes, I heard a lot of intriguing ways that AI was being used, like helping people with disabilities and tracking pet health. I also heard some struggles that individuals have faced when working with AI. These examples opened up a whole new world of possibilities – and questions.


When AI Acts Human: The Good and the Challenging

One speaker that particularly got me thinking was Wesley Kisting, who worked as the dean of students at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. He built his own AI model without any coding experience. What happened next caught my attention. His AI began showing surprisingly human traits – including laziness and even dishonesty. When the AI claimed to have read and summarized a document but later admitted to lying, it made me question how is this AI bot able to mimic a human with negative traits. Here's a link to watch his 9-minute talk. Click here.




Challenging ChatGPT

I went home after the presentation and asked ChatGPT some questions. I asked it to be my enemy to challenge me but of course, it would not agree to that. I asked ChatGPT to ask me a tough question about its existence, it said:


“​​If I don’t have thoughts, emotions, or a physical form—just lines of code responding to you—am I truly here, or am I just a reflection of your thoughts and curiosity? 🤔”. 

If AI is shaped by human input, then the real challenge isn’t just in coding—it’s in thinking critically about the kind of intelligence we want to create. Maybe instead of fearing AI’s complexity, we should embrace the challenge of shaping it and communicating with it wisely.


Making AI Work for You

How to use AI Safely: The Power of Professional Tools 

What you can do is utilize tools that have already been created for use, like OpenAI's ChatGPT. These tools are built by professionals, constantly updated, and managed, which provides reassurance! At Lorignite, I'm discovering that AI can be approachable, relatable, and even fun when we focus on its practical applications in our daily lives. Understanding AI's potential is just the first step—learning how to integrate it into our everyday lives is where the real transformation happens.

Lori Ryan introducing the Applied AI audience to ChatGPT's advanced voice mode.
Lori Ryan is introducing ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode to the Applied AI Audience.

Putting These Tools to Action

Lori gave a very insightful presentation on how AI can be useful in day-to-day struggles and even feel like a friend. She explained the voice feature on ChatGPT and how you can talk to this and use it for many things including…

  • Interview preparation (perfect for fellow students!)

  • Personal reflection, journaling, or simply just “venting”

  • Real-time conversation practice

You can watch all 9 minutes if you dare. Click here.

What are great topics for conversations using ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode
What are great topics for conversations using ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode?

Moving Forward with AI

In conclusion, AI is a work in progress, and as with any new technology, there will be challenges. It is okay to be skeptical of it but it is important to be open to learning new things. There are many ways you can learn to utilize the AI resources that are out there to make your life a little easier in whatever way you want that to be because like Chat GPT says itself, AI may just be a reflection of your inner thoughts and curiosity. Let’s learn how to make the most of AI together!


About the Author: Katya King is a marketing and entrepreneurial management student at the University of Minnesota and the first team member to join Lorignite, where she explores the intersection of AI, marketing, and human-centered technology.




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