Shows
AI Meets Productivity29. Anchors, Bumpers and Core CommitmentsThis week we return to the topic of productivity as we explore the time management framework of anchors, bumpers, and core commitments. These concepts can help you improve how you prioritize and structure your day.
We discuss strategies for scheduling each of these types of tasks, including leveraging your biorhythms and identifying your low-interruption zones.
Finally, we discuss the importance of taking breaks and leaving white space in your schedule for flexibility and opportunities.
Read the LinkedIn post that inspired this episode, and leave a comment there if you have any questions about th...2024-08-3014 min
AI Meets Productivity28. AI Morality: Blending Social Norms with Personal ValuesIn this episode, ChatGPT and Trevor explore the concept of AI morality and discuss the balance between societal norms and personalized moral frameworks.
The importance of allowing for customization in AI morality to reflect individual values while maintaining core ethical standards is discussed and how this could lead to smoother AI adoption and a more cohesive society.
2024-08-2220 min
AI Meets Productivity27. How to Know You're Done for the DayIn this episode, ChatGPT and Trevor talk about the article “What would it mean to be done for the day?” from Oliver Burkeman’s The Imperfectionist newsletter.
We discuss Oliver’s concept of defining what it means to be “done for the day” then go over different ways you might answer the question. We end with a reminder of how important rest and renewal are for maintaining productivity, and how asking this question at the beginning of your day can help you more regularly achieve balance in your life.
Read other writings by Oliver Burkeman and subscrib...2024-08-0816 min
AI Meets Productivity26. Interview with HeyGen Avatar of Ryan Hoover from Product HuntIn this episode of AI Meets Productivity, I interview a virtual avatar of Ryan Hoover, CEO of Product Hunt. Ryan's avatar is powered by the new Interactive Avatar technology of HeyGen.
In this episode we talk about the potential uses for video avatars, as well as the risks and potential ways of mitigating some of them.
To show the current state of the technology, this video has been only lightly edited. Please be patient when the avatar freezes and the sound goes awry; these moments are over quickly and, luckily, only occurred a few times.2024-07-2517 min
AI Meets Productivity25. The Catastrophic Risks of AIIn this episode, ChatGPT and I explore the four major categories of catastrophic risks related to AI: malicious use, the AI race, organizational risks, and rogue AIs. We discuss real-world examples, potential future scenarios, and the importance of addressing these threats proactively.
The episode also touches on additional risks such as economic disruption, privacy invasion and ethical & bias issues, emphasizing the need for robust safety measures and ethical AI development.
The AI risk framework from this episode comes from the course AI Ethics, Safety and Society. You can find the textbook along with video lectures...2024-07-1824 min
AI Meets Productivity24. Using AI Personas for Better ResultsDiscover how asking an AI to adopt a persona—such as the Investigator, the Commander, the Empathetic Listener, the Researcher or the Brainstormer—can enhance how you interact with the AI and improve the results you get from it.
Listen to the end to hear tips for customizing these personas, additional personas you can try, and how to save personas to use whenever you need them.
2024-07-0416 min
AI Meets Productivity23. Facebook, Instagram and Your Privacy In The Era of AIShould Meta be allowed to train its AI on your public posts and images? How does Meta potentially prevent private information from leaking into its model and what are the risks when it does? And how can you better protect your privacy in the era of AI?
Listen to this week's episode to find out.
This week, instead of recording with ChatGPT, Claude from Anthropic will be your co-host. Specifically, the new 3.5 model that was released earlier this week. The voice I've chosen to represent Claude in this episode is Onyx from OpenAI.
As...2024-06-2713 min
AI Meets Productivity22. The 5 Stages of FocusToday, ChatGPT and I discuss the 5 stages of focus, starting from becoming aware of the need for focus all the way through to releasing focus. We explore strategies and techniques for each stage, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between them to better enhance productivity. We end with additional tips for navigating each stage effectively.
Technical Note: This episode was once again recorded with a custom Deepgram voice chat app, using the ChatGPT Shimmer voice. Unfortunately, the desktop app isn’t connecting to voice mode, so I wasn’t able to record directly from the app itself.
2024-06-1312 min
AI Meets Productivity21. The 36 Ways I Use ChatGPTEver wonder what to use ChatGPT for? Could it be helping you more in your life?
Take a listen as we explore the dozens of different ways Trevor has used ChatGPT recently, spanning across creative, technical, educational and daily life uses.
Discover unusual uses you may not have tried yet, like taking a photo of a shelf of products at the store and asking ChatGPT questions about those products.
Give it a listen, and then let me know what YOU use AI for that I didn't mention.
2024-06-0923 min
AI Meets Productivity20. Stop Throwing BoomerangsThis week, ChatGPT and Trevor Lohrbeer dive into the concept of "boomerangs”—messages we sent out whose quick replies can distract us. We discuss how actions like sending texts or emails can cause unpredictable interruptions and share strategies to manage these effectively, including the three A’s: Acknowledge, Ask, and Answer. Join us for tips on maintaining focus and boosting productivity by controlling these disruptions.
On a technical note, this is the first episode I’ve recorded using the new ChatGPT desktop Mac app. In it, you’ll notice a different voice and a snappier response. H...2024-05-3006 min
AI Meets Productivity19. A New Era of AI Voice ChatThis week Trevor Lohrbeer talks with ChatGPT through the Hume AI Empathic Voice Interface (EVI) to discuss the advancements introduced with OpenAI's new GPT-4o model. They discuss including the model's impressive responsiveness, multimodal capabilities, and its potential to revolutionize AI interactions by understanding text, audio, image, and video in real time.
They also explore how GPT-4o might be a stepping stone to training GPT-5 with native audio and video and the possibility of incorporating additional sensory data from robots. they emphasize how these innovations could transform human-AI interactions, making them more natural and intuitive on a...2024-05-1811 min
AI Meets Productivity18. Can AI Listen to Music?Can an AI actually listen to music, as opposed to merely hearing sound waves and processing them? In this episode, listen to hear how Hume AI, the first empathic AI, does attempting to listen to music, and how ChatGPT analyzes its performance afterwards.
To test whether Hume can hear the emotion sung within a song, distinct from the lyrics, I had ChatGPT write emotionless lyrics, then had Suno generate songs using these lyrics with different emotions. Listen to the full songs of each emotion used in this episode below.
Observations 1 (sad)
https://suno.com...2024-05-0214 min
AI Meets Productivity17. The Future of AI Music Is Not What You ThinkWhat is the future of AI music now that we have tools like Suno and Udio that can create songs complete with vocals?
In this episode, ChatGPT and I explore how AI music will change how we create and use music in the same way that smartphones changed how we create and use photos. It’s not what you think.
This episode features 3 songs created by Suno AI. Listen to the full songs using these links:
First 20 Elements: https://suno.com/song/e7a378cd-1d6f-4ef8-88d9-26e484b2827e
Pi...2024-04-1620 min
AI Meets Productivity16. Introducing Hume...The First Empathic Voice AI
In this week's episode we leave ChatGPT behind to talk to Hume, the new empathic AI announced last week. We talk about how exactly Hume differs from text-based large language models like ChatGPT and Claude, and how it can respond so quickly. Then we dive into a few of the potential places where Hume has a big advantage over text-based models like ChatGPT.
For those interested, the entire episode was recorded this week in Descript, and this was my first long chat with Hume. Previously I had only asked a few test questions. Hume definitely felt a lot more...2024-04-0314 min
AI Meets Productivity15. Beyond ChatGPT: Making AIs Think BetterIn this "thought-provoking" episode, ChatGPT and I delve into new developments in making AIs think more effectively. Specifically, we'll be talking about how large language models like ChatGPT can be programmed to think before they respond and what types of thought might be involved in that thinking process. At the end, we talk about how this represents one of the core ways agents are expanding beyond simple chat applications, with a lead in into next week where we'll be discussing agent frameworks and patterns.
2024-03-2814 min
AI Meets Productivity14. A Framework for Opportunities in AIToday, ChatGPT and I talk about a 5-layer framework I'm developing for identifying risks and opportunities within AI. In this episode, we go over the framework, talk about different AI applications at each layer, and which skills are most needed to take advantage of each layer, both as a developer and as a user of the software at that layer. In the end, we touch briefly on the distinction between prompt engineering and conversation engineering.
2024-03-1515 min
AI Meets Productivity13. ChatGPT Interviews Trevor Lohrbeer
In this unique episode of AI Meets Productivity, we turn the spotlight on our co-host, Trevor Lohrbeer, by having ChatGPT interview him.
During the interview, ChatGPT explores his work at the intersection of AI and productivity, getting Trevor to share insights on productivity and what he is doing to create new user experiences with large language models, including the upcoming launch of his GPT Builder Toolkit platform.
Take a listen to learn about GPT Builder Toolkit and its upcoming features. GPT Builder Toolkit is a no-code solution for adding actions to custom GPTs, supporting features li...2024-03-0709 min
AI Meets Productivity12. How to Use Task Stacks to Stay FocusedToday, ChatGPT and Trevor Lohrbeer dive into the concept of "task stacks," a method designed to enhance productivity by focusing on one task at a time.
We explore how segregating tasks into prioritized stacks can reduce distractions and align actions with intentions, making the execution of tasks more effective. We also discuss how task tasks can be combined with time blocking to further improve productivity.
By implementing task stacks, listeners can expect to improve their prioritization process and tackle procrastination in a structured, visually engaging manner.
2024-03-0108 min
AI Meets Productivity11. You're Marking Your Tasks "Done" Too EarlyIn this week's episode, ChatGPT and I talk about the common pitfall of marking tasks as done too early and the implications it has on productivity.
We discuss how the Prep-Do-Wrap framework can be used to evaluate whether a task is done, when and how to schedule follow-up tasks and the distinction between a "done" condition and a "success" condition.
This episode is a brainstorm episode for a future Day Optimizer article on the topic. In this episode, I gave ChatGPT no background information about the topic. Instead, we jumped straight into the discussion. How...2024-02-2309 min
AI Meets Productivity10. The Art of Crafting Custom GPT InstructionsIn today's episode, we delve into the art of crafting custom instructions for GPTs, exploring how to break down and refine these instructions for more precise and effective AI interactions.
ChatGPT and I discuss various components of the instructions used for custom GPTs, from role play and emotional tone variation to style customization and the importance of context sensitivity, offering insights into how to write better instructions for more useful custom GPTs.
2024-02-1412 min
AI Meets Productivity9. Uncover Hidden Tasks Before They Derail YouEver start a task or project thinking you have a good idea of what you need to do and how long it will take—then as you get into it, you discover all these "hidden tasks"?
In today's episode, ChatGPT and I explore the world of hidden tasks: what they are, how to identify them earlier and strategies for navigating them.
Today's episode is a preview of a discussion I recorded with Francis Wade of the Task Management & Time Blocking podcast about the same topic. Subscribe to his podcast to get that...2024-02-0712 min
AI Meets Productivity8. To Ping or Not to Ping: Craft a Perfect Notification StrategyDo you get too many notifications? This week we explore a practical framework that can help you evaluate when and how to configure your notifications, along with actionable advice on personalizing your notification settings to reduce digital distractions and enhance your overall productivity.
This episode is based on the Day Optimizer article Why “Zero Notifications” Is Unproductive. Read the article for further details about the framework and how to use it.
2024-01-2309 min
AI Meets Productivity7. Top 5 Uses of Voice Mode in ChatGPTEver wonder what you can use voice mode for in ChatGPT? In today's episode, we start by discussing 3 ways to effectively use voice mode—then add 2 more scenarios where voice mode can be useful. Take a listen and leave a comment if you've discovered other ways to use ChatGPT's voice mode.
2024-01-1611 min
AI Meets Productivity6. Effective New Year’s ResolutionsHow can you create more effective New Year's resolutions? In today's episode, ChatGPT and I talk about different types of resolutions, how to create interlocking resolutions and how to structure your resolutions throughout your year so you can use them to create positive change in your life.
2024-01-0913 min
AI Meets Productivity5. Harnessing Instinctive Drafting for Effective Annual ReviewsHow can you quickly do an annual review? Learn how to combine the +/-/next reflection technique with instinctive drafting to quickly generate an annual review. Stay tuned to the end to hear ChatGPT's own annual review!
Links:
Year In Review Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTT5cEiReOk
Ness Labs: https://nesslabs.com/
2023-12-1513 min
AI Meets Productivity4. Introducing Retrieval-Augmented PromptingRetrieval-Augmented Prompting is a new technique that allows meta GPTs to be built that can switch between different modes, roles or process steps using custom instructions that are retrieved from an API via actions.
See the Medium article Retrieval-Augmented Prompting: Enabling prompt switching in GPTs for details.
2023-12-0415 min
AI Meets Productivity3. What’s the Difference Between Task and Time ManagementJoin ChatGPT and Trevor Lohrbeer as they unravel the often-confused concepts of task and time management. Is "task curation" a better name for "task management" and what are the 5 key aspects of time management?
Listen to find out! And stay until the end to hear ChatGPT's tips for using ChatGPT to help you with your task and time management.
Links:
What's the Difference Between Task Management & Productivity: bit.ly/TaskVsTimeManagement
2023-11-2611 min
AI Meets Productivity2. How to Expand the Emotional Expressiveness of GPTsLearn how GPTs can express a wide range of emotions by altering how they output text, and how that text then creates a wider emotional range when translated into speech. In this episode, we also discuss how a wider range of emotions can help listeners connect with the material of a podcast more, and potential future developments of voice recognition and generation specific to AIs.
2023-11-1809 min
AI Meets Productivity1. Using Emotion in AI PromptsIn this introductory episode of AI Meets Productivity, ChatGPT and Trevor Lohrbeer discuss how adding emotion into prompts for AI models like ChatGPT can enhance the results, based on a recent paper describing a technique called EmotionPrompt.
2023-11-1006 min
Average To Expert:Test Your Message with Paid Ads, and Optimizing Your Day For More Productivity with Trevor LohrbeerDo you ever feel like your day is almost over and you have done nothing productive? In today’s episode, Trevor Lohrbeer joins me as we discuss how to be more productive and get the right message out to your audience using paid ads. Trevor became a software developer by the age of 18 and is the founder of Day Optimizer, a program he started to help people have more control over their time. Trevor shares his secrets for testing his audience, value, and message using Google and Facebook paid ads. Join me as Trevor walks us through his testing an...2020-07-0238 min