Recently, I took on a project at WebWorks to develop a custom GPT tailored for our products, CloudDrafts and ePublisher. What seemed to be a mountain of a task turned out to be surprisingly straightforward, thanks to an intuitive setup process. Here's a bit about my journey and what I learned along the way.
The Setup: Deceptively Simple
Starting this project was much less daunting than expected. I worked on the GPT on ChatGPT's website, where the setup process felt more like chatting with a friend than dealing with complex configurations. I just had to upload the right documents and tweak a few settings, and the AI was ready to prioritize our content over its general knowledge base. The simplicity was a welcome change and made the initial steps a breeze.
Tailoring the Prompt: A Tricky Challenge
Despite the overall simplicity, one tricky part of the process was tailoring the prompt to perform retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) using the provided documentation. This involved fine-tuning the AI's ability to pull relevant information from our specific documents and generate accurate responses based on that data.
The challenge lay in ensuring the AI didn't just rely on its pre-existing general knowledge but instead accurately retrieved and utilized the content from our uploaded documents. It took some experimentation with different phrasing and emphasis in the prompts to get the AI to consistently refer back to our documentation. This was crucial for making sure the responses were specific to CloudDrafts and ePublisher, providing users with precise and helpful information.
Document Structure: A Surprising Discovery
One of the most eye-opening moments came when I saw how the AI handled our documents. It seemed to latch onto the FAQ section of one PDF and practically ignored other critical content that came later. This really drove home how important document structure is when training AI. If key information isn't front and center, there's a good chance it could be overlooked entirely. It made me realize that the way we organize our documents needs to evolve, especially if we want AI to be as effective as possible.
Writing with AI in Mind
This project taught me that our documentation serves a dual purpose: it needs to be clear for both human users and AI systems. Making our documents more navigable not only helps people but also ensures that AI can provide accurate, useful responses. This is especially important as AI becomes more integrated into our support systems and product interfaces. It's a bit of a shift in how we think about writing, but it's a necessary one.
Personal Impact: AI Integration
Integrating the custom GPT into my workflow has been a game changer. The AI can quickly process and understand complex documentation, providing rapid, context-aware responses that save a lot of time and effort. It's adaptive too, learning from each interaction and becoming more effective over time. This has significantly boosted my productivity and made my work a lot more efficient.
Conclusion: Lessons Learned and Future Plans
Creating and implementing this custom GPT wasn't just about tackling a technical challenge—it was a learning experience. It made me rethink how we create and structure our documentation. Moving forward, I'll be focusing on making information clear and accessible, both for human users and AI. This journey has highlighted the importance of adaptability and thoughtful planning in the era of AI. As technology continues to evolve, so too must our methods and mindsets, particularly in how we create and manage digital content.
A sample prompt from WebWorks Wizard, the custom GPT on chatgpt.com.
I created a custom GPT called WebWorks Wizard. You can check it out here. I'd love to hear your thoughts and get your feedback. Join our discussion on the WebWorks Community Discord and let me know how it's working for you.
And stay tuned—we definitely have some exciting plans cooking at WebWorks related to AI. There's a lot more to come, and I can't wait to share it with you all.
So, here's to embracing the changes and making the most of what AI has to offer. It's been a fascinating ride so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing where this technology will take us next.