Jewelers can use ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence–based tools to save time and money, business consultant Ford Saeks said during a May 2 session on “Unlocking the Potential of AI and ChatGPT in Your Business” at the American Gem Society (AGS) Conclave in Louisville, Ky.

“ChatGPT is 100 times smarter than the smartest person,” said Saeks, president and CEO of Prime Concepts Group, a marketing agency. “People always ask me if AI is going to replace humans. No, it’s going to replace humans who aren’t using it.

“You are not going to put the genie back in the bottle. This is not going away. It’s out now.”

ChatGPT and similar artificial intelligence programs can help companies “automate tasks, improve efficiency, and make better decisions,” said Saeks.

While there’s a lot of speculation that ChatGPT will take over certain jobs, right now the best thing jewelers can do is to instruct their employees on how to best use it.

“They’ll be more effective if they have this tool,” Saeks said.

Among possible applications of ChatGPT and other AI: brainstorming business and marketing ideas, creating content, engaging on social media, providing product descriptions, writing emails, translating languages, analyzing data, researching markets, generating leads, drafting business plans, providing legal forms, preparing excel spreadsheets, and doing basic computer programming.

Saeks noted that most internet browsers have AI-powered extensions that can help with specific tasks. The key, he said, is “effective prompting”—ChatGPT works best when it’s “trained.”

“Type like you’re talking to a real person, but an intern,” Saeks said. “Be specific and provide context and dialogue. When you train it, it gets smarter, just like an employee.”

Sometimes it helps to ask ChatGPT to “assume an identity or profession,” he said.

Once, when dealing with a customer’s complaint, Saeks said his instinct was to write an angry email back. Instead, he asked ChatGPT to craft a response, in the guise of a customer service expert. It worked perfectly, he said, with the client replying, “This is why I like dealing with you.”

Jewelers, he said, might ask the chatbot to “act like an experienced copywriter with high levels of expertise and authority within the jewelry industry. [Make its] job writing content for social media, blogs, and LinkedIn articles.”

Retailers may still need to add their own individual touch, Saeks pointed out—otherwise, every jeweler’s blog will be the same. But a lot of the grunt work will be done.

Another possible use: Input the top 10 objections you get when you do sales presentations, and ask it for possible answers.

Saeks added that when using these tools, the key is to keep refining your instructions. So if a result sounds too mechanical, ask the bot to rewrite it in a conversational tone.

For all the ways that people think these tools will change the world, ChatGPT in particular has certain limitations, he said. “Use it in conjunction with human judgment, not as replacement for it,” Saeks said. “Humans bring empathy, adaptability, and creativity. That’s not going away.”

ChatGPT frequently delivers inaccurate or plagiarized information. “You have to check its work,” Saeks said. “Don’t assume its answers are right. It can cause trouble as much as it can help you. Ask it for sources and to justify answers.”

The chatbot also presents privacy and secrecy concerns, and he advised his audience to be careful what they “tell it,” because chances are, that information is being stored somewhere.