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The generative A.I. that powers ChatGPT cannot come up with original ideas like you do, but it can help breathe life into how you present those ideas. One way is to take advantage of ChatGPT’s analogy feature to simplify complex ideas.

An analogy is a comparison between two things that share similarities. Great communicators throughout history have relied on analogies as rhetorical tools to educate their audiences about new or abstract ideas.

For example, inflation. I asked ChatGPT to answer the following question (known as a prompt).

Prompt: What is “inflation?”

ChatGPT response:

Inflation is a general increase in the overall level of prices of goods and services in an economy over time.

As you can see, ChatGPT provided a universally accepted definition of inflation. But it’s still an abstract concept that’s not easily understood.

Here’s the trick — don’t just ask the chatbot for a definition. Ask for an analogy.

Prompt: Provide an analogy to explain “inflation” in simple terms

ChatGPT response:

Imagine a lemonade stand that sells lemonade for $1 per glass. One day, the owner of the lemonade stand realizes they need to start charging $1.25 per glass to cover their increased costs for lemons, sugar, and cups. The customers who used to buy one glass of lemonade for $1 now have to pay $1.25 for the same glass of lemonade. This is similar to what happens with inflation....

The next step is to check the analogy for plagiarism. While I didn’t find any red flags, I did discover that using the lemonade stand comparison to explain inflation is not unique. But that’s what ChatGPT does — it retrieves and structures existing text. So don’t just copy its responses word for word. Instead, use it for brainstorming.

The final step, if you’re creating a PowerPoint presentation on the topic, is to ask ChatGPT for slide suggestions.

Prompt: How can I visualize the lemonade stand analogy on a PowerPoint slide?

ChatGPT response:

One image you could use is a picture of a lemonade stand with two different prices listed on a sign — one from a few years ago and one from today, with the more recent price being significantly higher. This would convey the idea that the cost of goods and services, including a simple cup of lemonade, has increased over time due to inflation.

The slide idea is simple and visual and should work nicely for a wide range of audiences and ages.

No, ChatGPT isn’t going to replace your imagination. But it has a lot to offer as an assistant, a tool for communicators to jumpstart their creativity.