Keeping It Human in a Digital World (15)

However, I found this kind of extrapolation was harder and more time-consuming for newcomers. The key factor for them between fast insight and frustration is playing with purpose. I also discovered that just a little guidance makes all the difference. That’s why I transformed the unstructured, chaotic play of early adopters into a “PlayLab” that helps people advance productively on their AI journey (while still preserving the creative spirit that makes play so powerful). You’ll find all you need on my website in the resources section of ThinkwithAI.org.

Why play?

Research shows that when children play, what appears to be “just having fun” actually functions as a powerful learning mechanism.1, 2But kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from this approach—play makes it easier for adults to experiment with ideas, adopt new perspectives, solve problems, and discover new skills. It creates a low-stakes environment in which to take risks and learn from failures, and releases us from holding tightly to preconceptions. And, crucially, by using play to allow the imagination to roam freely we can cultivate the expansive thinking that helps lead to innovation.3

This playful approach is especially valuable when you’re working to develop AIQ. Because it’s so new, understanding how AI can truly benefit you may seem like an abstract, hard-to-grasp concept. There aren’t AI user manuals, and even AI experts don’t fully grasp all the intricacies of how these systems actually work. By diving into hands-on play, you can bypass the need for concrete how-tos and drop directly into the experimentation that will cultivate an instinct for working with AI.

This is a whole lot different from how we typically engage with software, right?

Let’s Play: Introducing the PlayLab

Ready to get your hands on AI? Head over to my website, thinkwithai.org/playlab, where you’ll find the PlayLab, a collection of playful challenges that give structure and purpose to your exploration. Choose your adventure based on how much time you have (I have challenge sets starting at just twenty minutes) and whether you’re sticking with free tools or ready to invest a little. (The price of a pizza or two unlocks a world of AI possibilities, and believe me, it’s worth the investment.)

Pick a challenge set that intrigues you and jump in. I assure you that you will walk away with a broader appreciation of what today’s AI can do.

Fair warning: you might encounter some bizarre or laughable AI responses (what I affectionately call “AI bloopers”). But don’t be discouraged! These quirky moments are part of the journey. And who knows? After a few duds, you might stumble upon a surprisingly brilliant answer. When that happens, pause and reflect—it could be the gateway to your own “aha” moment about AI’s potential.

As you explore the new capabilities AI offers, you will also get to experience:

How to “talk” with AI in multiple ways: AI is multi-modal. It can see you, hear you, and even talk to you. We can interface with AI by typing, through a chat box in a browser, or through an app in which it’s been integrated. We can have a conversation with it using our voice, and choose a voice for it to use to talk back at us. We can give it a photo of our dog or drawings on a whiteboard and ask it to do a task based on these images. AI can even draw for you, turning sentences into a chart or a picture. You’ll get a chance to experiment with all these modes in the PlayLab.

How AI handles open-ended goals and creative tasks: AI can perform a broad range of work and create or even “imagine” in a way no software you’ve ever met before can. It can tackle open-ended challenges and get creative in ways that might surprise you. Dream up any category of work, and chances are AI can contribute meaningfully. In the PlayLab, I show you some fun examples to spark your imagination, but remember, we’re just scratching the surface.

The PlayLab offers a fast, focused flyover of various AI tools, capabilities, and ways to communicate. However, it won’t demonstrate how these initial experiments translate into lasting value in your life. That’s why the next chapter shifts our focus from play to practical application, helping you pinpoint how AI capabilities can connect to your unique demands and workflows. This next step of the journey, “Align,” is designed to guide you to an “aha” moment that reveals how this technology can genuinely serve your needs.

Notes

1 “Learning through Play: What the Science Says,” The LEGO Foundation, https://learningthroughplay.com/explore-the-research/the-scientific-case-for-learning-through-play. 2 “The Power of Play,” The Hechinger Report, https://hechingerreport.org/the-power-of-play/. 3 Amy Jo Dowd, “In Times of Uncertainty, Our Most Creative Thoughts Can Happen Through Play,” Fast Company, December 16, 2020, https://www.fastcompany.com/90593529/in-times-of-uncertainty-our-most-creative-thoughts-can-happen-through-play.