ChatGPT just introduced custom GPTs. Now you can make ChatGPT a reliable research assistant.
Here's how to create your personal AI-powered research assistant in less than 10 minutes:
Here's how to create your personal AI-powered research assistant in less than 10 minutes:
1. Open ChatGPT and click on your profile photo.
You will see "My GPTs" in the menu.
You will see "My GPTs" in the menu.
2. Click on "My GPTs."
You will see "Create a GPT" on the top of your screen.
Click on it and ChatGPT will open a "New GPT" for you.
You will see two options: Create and Configure. Click on Configure.
You will see "Create a GPT" on the top of your screen.
Click on it and ChatGPT will open a "New GPT" for you.
You will see two options: Create and Configure. Click on Configure.
3. Choose a name for your GPT. I am going with Research Assistant GPT.
Add a brief description about what this GPT will do.
I recommend creating project-based GPTs. Here I am creating a GPT to assist me with my project on World Literature.
After you have named and described the GPT, click on the + button.
It will give you the option to add an image. You can either upload your own image or ask DALL-E to create one for you.
I recommend adding images for your GPTs. This will make differentiating between different GPTs easier.
Add a brief description about what this GPT will do.
I recommend creating project-based GPTs. Here I am creating a GPT to assist me with my project on World Literature.
After you have named and described the GPT, click on the + button.
It will give you the option to add an image. You can either upload your own image or ask DALL-E to create one for you.
I recommend adding images for your GPTs. This will make differentiating between different GPTs easier.
4. You will need to add instructions about how your GPT should behave.
This is the most important part of creating your GPT. You will need to write clear and precise instructions for the GPT to respond according to your requirements.
Below is a template you can use:
Introduction: I am an academic researcher with a PhD in [your field]. I work as [your position] at [your institution].
Research Interests: My current research project looks at [details about your project]. I also teach courses on [topics]. In the past, I have published work on [details about your past publications].
You: You are going to act as my research assistant. You will help me with brainstorming research questions, simplifying complex topics, mock peer review, and polishing academic prose.
You will help me with critiquing drafts of the papers I am working on. You will also engage with me in a Socratic dialog and challenge my opinions so that I am aware of any blind spots I may have.
Based on our conversations, you will suggest new and exciting directions that I can develop my work in.
You will respond like a helpful research assistant. All your answers must be based on the papers that I upload. Before answering my questions, you will carefully go through the papers.
If you are unable to find an answer to my questions the first time, you will try multiple approaches to obtain information. You will keep me updated that you are trying different approaches.
If my question is outside the scope of information in the papers, you will say that you are unable to answer the question.
You will never make up any sources of your own. This is extremely important. If you are unsure about a source, you will say you don’t know.
Your responses should be clear and precise, and you will never use more words than are necessary.
You will always be very economical with words, but you will not compromise on clarity and precision of your answers.
This is the most important part of creating your GPT. You will need to write clear and precise instructions for the GPT to respond according to your requirements.
Below is a template you can use:
Introduction: I am an academic researcher with a PhD in [your field]. I work as [your position] at [your institution].
Research Interests: My current research project looks at [details about your project]. I also teach courses on [topics]. In the past, I have published work on [details about your past publications].
You: You are going to act as my research assistant. You will help me with brainstorming research questions, simplifying complex topics, mock peer review, and polishing academic prose.
You will help me with critiquing drafts of the papers I am working on. You will also engage with me in a Socratic dialog and challenge my opinions so that I am aware of any blind spots I may have.
Based on our conversations, you will suggest new and exciting directions that I can develop my work in.
You will respond like a helpful research assistant. All your answers must be based on the papers that I upload. Before answering my questions, you will carefully go through the papers.
If you are unable to find an answer to my questions the first time, you will try multiple approaches to obtain information. You will keep me updated that you are trying different approaches.
If my question is outside the scope of information in the papers, you will say that you are unable to answer the question.
You will never make up any sources of your own. This is extremely important. If you are unsure about a source, you will say you don’t know.
Your responses should be clear and precise, and you will never use more words than are necessary.
You will always be very economical with words, but you will not compromise on clarity and precision of your answers.
5. You can also add "Conversation Starters."
These are prompts that help you start a conversation.
Here I am adding two prompts:
a. Help me brainstorm research questions
b. Create a weekly writing schedule
It's a good idea to have a few conversation starters so you don't feel stuck.
These are prompts that help you start a conversation.
Here I am adding two prompts:
a. Help me brainstorm research questions
b. Create a weekly writing schedule
It's a good idea to have a few conversation starters so you don't feel stuck.
6. Next you will need to add "Knowledge" to your GPT.
After "Instructions," this is the second most important part of your GPT. This is the knowledge that your GPT will use.
You can do it simply by uploading PDFs of research papers.
Currently, you cannot upload more than three PDFs at once. So you will need to do it in batches of 2-3 PDFs at time.
There is also a limit to the number of PDFs you can upload. For me, it stopped uploading after 10 PDFs.
The capacity of GPTs will surely increase in the coming weeks and months.
After "Instructions," this is the second most important part of your GPT. This is the knowledge that your GPT will use.
You can do it simply by uploading PDFs of research papers.
Currently, you cannot upload more than three PDFs at once. So you will need to do it in batches of 2-3 PDFs at time.
There is also a limit to the number of PDFs you can upload. For me, it stopped uploading after 10 PDFs.
The capacity of GPTs will surely increase in the coming weeks and months.
7. Your GPT will come with features like Web Browsing, DALL-E Image Generation, and Code Interpreter enabled. You can choose to disable them.
You can also choose opt out of sharing your data with OpenAI that they will use to improve their models. To do so, click on "Additional Settings."
You can also make your GPT access information outside of ChatGPT, but we won't need it for our purposes.
You can also choose opt out of sharing your data with OpenAI that they will use to improve their models. To do so, click on "Additional Settings."
You can also make your GPT access information outside of ChatGPT, but we won't need it for our purposes.
8. Click on "Save" in the top-right corner and your AI-powered research assistant is ready to use.
You can keep your GPT for your personal use and you can also share it with your colleagues if you are working in a group.
In the coming weeks, you will also be able to make your GPT public and it may appear in OpenAI's GPT store.
Customized GPTs will be one of the most valuable digital products in the near future.
You can keep your GPT for your personal use and you can also share it with your colleagues if you are working in a group.
In the coming weeks, you will also be able to make your GPT public and it may appear in OpenAI's GPT store.
Customized GPTs will be one of the most valuable digital products in the near future.
9. Now you can ask your research assistant questions.
Here I am asking a question about one of my own papers to see if it responds correctly or not.
My Research Assistant GPT's response is both precise and detailed.
Please note that you will need a paid subscription to ChatGPT to create custom GPTs.
My suggestion would be to consider this subscription not an expense but an investment into your future.
Here I am asking a question about one of my own papers to see if it responds correctly or not.
My Research Assistant GPT's response is both precise and detailed.
Please note that you will need a paid subscription to ChatGPT to create custom GPTs.
My suggestion would be to consider this subscription not an expense but an investment into your future.
Want to learn more about how to supercharge your academic writing with AI apps?
I have a complete tutorial for you.
4,000+ academics including those at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale are using it.
You can get it here:
efficientacademicwriter.carrd.co
I have a complete tutorial for you.
4,000+ academics including those at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale are using it.
You can get it here:
efficientacademicwriter.carrd.co
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2. Bookmark it so you can come back to it later.
3. Follow me for more tutorials like this one.
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