AI is poised to enhance my productivity once its true potential is revealed.
By Emilia David, a journalist specializing in AI coverage. Before joining The Verge, she focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and business.
When OpenAI unveiled the ability for individuals to craft personalized versions of ChatGPT-style chatbots, my initial interest was purely journalistic. While I recognized the significance of this advancement for OpenAI, its practical utility remained uncertain. Why should I prioritize most GPTs (short for the algorithms) when I could easily rely on an app offering similar functionality? However, there is one particularly valuable bot that has notably improved a segment of my professional life. This tool, named “What’s Another Word For,” was custom-built by me.
“What’s Another Term For” serves as a valuable resource to assist me in diversifying my vocabulary by providing alternative words for those I tend to overuse. A significant portion of writing involves searching for synonyms to avoid monotony, and recalling suitable words is not always straightforward. Until recently, when I required a substitute for a word like “identify” repeated times within a sentence (a common scenario when discussing AI systems), I would resort to Google. If the search results did not offer satisfactory alternatives, I had to navigate to a platform like Thesaurus.com and explore its suggestions.
The GPT I developed for synonym discovery streamlines this process, with the primary challenge lying in conceiving the concept initially. OpenAI simplifies the creation of GPTs; by instructing ChatGPT to generate a list of synonyms, specifying parameters to respond only to queries related to synonyms, antonyms, and definitions, and setting it in motion. For instance, if I input a query such as “Provide me with an alternative for study,” it promptly suggests “Instead of study, you can use investigation.” I can request a list of synonyms or a single suggestion.
Since implementing “What’s Another Term For” into my workflow, it has seamlessly integrated into my routine. Rather than resorting to Google, I maintain it open in a browser tab, leveraging the GPT for word suggestions.
While seemingly trivial, this tool has proven invaluable for someone constantly striving to avoid repetition. While I could opt to keep Thesaurus.com accessible in a tab, it operates at a slower pace and is laden with advertisements. Having my customized GPT readily available allows me to reference previous queries without encountering any distractions.
OpenAI’s objective is to illustrate how AI can streamline tasks for individuals by facilitating the creation of GPTs. Custom GPTs are a premium feature accessible solely to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Business users. Although OpenAI has hinted at pricing models based on usage metrics, the current access to custom GPTs via the GPT Store is complimentary for subscribed users. Notably, the majority of applications I have encountered focus on enhancing productivity, with a few offering AI companionship. (If inclined, I could have developed the fifty-first iteration of a PDF summarizer.)
Despite my reliance on this tool, my customized GPT remains the sole one in use. It is housed in a separate tab within ChatGPT Plus in my browser, rather than being fully integrated into platforms like Google Docs. Frankly, I would have been content to continue using Google’s synonym feature if I had not already invested in ChatGPT Plus. While I do not foresee discontinuing my use of “What’s Another Word For” in the near future, unless another innovative GPT concept emerges, I am still uncertain of their full potential, particularly within my professional domain.
