Science communication is about to undergo a revolution thanks to AI and large language models, and their ability to simplify without losing the substance (sorry for the pun).
Here are 10 practical ideas on how to use ChatGPT to turn complex science messages into relatable and understandable ones, dedicated to the memory of my chemistry teacher(s):
1. Simplifying jargon: Use ChatGPT to translate complex scientific terminology into everyday language, making your content more relatable and understandable for the general public.
2. Storytelling with science: Use ChatGPT to create compelling narratives around your scientific findings, instructing it to use storytelling techniques to make your work more engaging and memorable.
3. Analogies and metaphors: Instruct GPT to generate analogies and metaphors to explain complex concepts by relating them to familiar experiences, helping your audience get difficult ideas more easily.
4. Audience-specific content: Use ChatGPT to tailor your scientific messages to different audiences by providing information, in your prompt, about their background knowledge, interests, and concerns, thereby making your communication more persuasive.
5. Interactive explainer tools: You can instruct a public (or custom-built) chatbot to walk the audience through scientific concepts step-by-step, and you can allow them to ask questions and receive simplified (and personalized!) explanations.
6. Emotional appeal: I know scientists are cautious when it comes to emotions, I still suggest you identify and insist to GPT that it incorporate emotional appeals (or specifically 'inspiration' as a key emotion) into your science communication.
7. Visual aids creation: Use ChatGPT to generate *ideas* for visual aids, such as diagrams, infographics, and videos, that complement your scientific messages and make complex information more digestible. (Image generation is still often not up to par.)
8. Persuasive framing: Prompt ChatGPT to frame your scientific messages in ways that highlight their relevance and importance to your audience’s everyday lives, making the information more compelling and actionable.
9. Debunking myths: Generate narratives with ChatGPT that addresses common misconceptions and myths about your scientific field, providing clear, evidence-based explanations to correct misunderstandings. Make sure to instruct it to apply debunking best-practices and avoid any backfire effect.
+1: Engaging social media content: create engaging and shareable social media posts with ChatGPT that distill complex scientific findings into bite-sized, relatable pieces.
(Interested in learning more about using #ChatGPT and other #AI tools for #scicomm ? Look for our upcoming workshops or request a custom offer.)