Three New Powerful GPT-4o Features for Writers
That even skeptics can get behind (and no, it’s not making AI write for you)
Have you heard the news yet? ChatGPT 4o is out, and it’s going to take over the world.
Figuratively, of course. The world domination bit isn’t in the picture (yet?)
GPT-4o was released on May 14, 2024, and it’s been making the rounds in all forms of media — and for good reason. Just a year ago, ChatGPT couldn’t make a coherent paragraph without sounding like a dictionary; now, you can talk to it like an actual human being.
The “o” in 4o stands for “omni,” and it represents all the cool new things about this newest version (which we’ll get into in a bit.)
But perhaps the best thing about it is that it’s free — you can do a limited number of prompts even without paying. So, every writer can try it out, but how?
There are multiple lists floating around on the internet, but none have been directed to the AI-equipped writer. That’s why I made my own. Here are 3 powerful ChatGPT-4o features for writers to use (and no, it’s not about making AI write for you!)
As a super smart, isntant voice assistant
Never let simple tasks take you out of deep work again.
Sam Altman famously used GPT-4o as an assistant. Without having to snap out of the deep work state that he’s in, he can access information by just asking, like having the internet at your beck and call.
With 4o, writers can have the same access to information even while they’re in deep work. Ask questions, make calculations, and command other complex requests to help with whatever you’re writing.
Some specific tasks I can think of are:
- Recalling specific information (quote, fact, statistical information)
- You can dictate your “writing,” and ChatGPT can edit out speech errors on the spot.
- Immediate feedback on your writing or quality of work
- Hearing your writing read back to you
For real-time translations of foreign languages
ChatGPT minimizes the friction of translation.
A while back, I asked people, “What’s the single biggest issue you face when working with AI content?” (It’s still open, btw).
One thing that comes up most is the challenges of using ChatGPT as a translation tool. Many ESL writers who use ChatGPT this way encounter challenges that you might expect, impacting meaning, nuance, and even simply getting GPT to do what they want.
The 4o version won’t eliminate the friction of translating, but it can make it much easier. GPT-4o’s real-time speech function makes language translation more seamless. Some specific tasks that I can think of are:
- Instant feedback on the quality of your translation.
- Writing dialogue for fictional characters that speak different languages.
- You can better “explain” the linguistic nuances of a specific word that you want compared to writing.
- Real-time collaboration with team members, whatever language they are speaking.
Helps you describe what you hear and see
GPT-4o can see and hear as you can.
One of this version’s most notable improvements is its ability to “see” the world better than the previous version. For example, in the launch announcement, the GPT-4o voice assistant could:
- Determine and make recommendations based on the emotion of the input voice.
- Describe the emotion that it “sees.”
- Assist the demonstrator in real-time (solving a math equation.)
But how can writers use this functionality? Here are some examples.
- In real-time, observing and describing the real world is important for better writing.
- Give ChatGPT a picture of a scene, object, etc., so the model can describe it for you.
- You can model an emotion, action, or body language you want to depict, and ChatGPT can give you pointers on how to describe it.
- “Talking” to ChatGPT in a voice that you want to describe in words.
- Analyzing and giving insights about picture/video inputs for research.
Final Thoughts
How about you? How are you using ChatGPT’s newest bells and whistles?
Keep in mind, though, that you don’t need these fancy features to write. Whatever shiny, new tool that comes out, whatever version, they won’t be good alternatives to the simple skill of writing well.
But AI tools like GPT-4o can supercharge the writing skills that you do have.
With the right knowledge and principles, tools like this can help you write faster, better, and with more humanity. You’ll know how to edit AI output to create unique content — all without sacrificing authenticity.
Without these guide rails, your tools can end up using you instead.
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