7 Things to know before getting into Generative AI

Since the introduction of Generative AI as a domain, it would be hard to come by an industry that hasn’t been affected by it. But instead of being at loggerheads with it, it has received widespread adoption. Generative AI has been incorporated into the day-to-day workflows of most domains, and this alarming presence has made many gravitate towards the domain. Where some have made up their minds, others are looking for some direction or conviction towards its adoption. This article is written from a beginner’s perspective and aims to demystify a lot of the fuss surrounding the Generative AI domain.

Questions Surrounding the GenAI Domain

Generative AI, contrary to popular opinion, is a welcoming domain. There aren’t any must-knows or prerequisites for generative AI. It’s a place for everyone: from an expert coder to someone clueless about it. There are specific tools that are catered towards different types of audiences. Generative AI incorporates everyone from beginners to experienced professionals, and creates an ecosystem where each layer is interconnected with the others. Developments are happening in different tangents within the domain, which is encouraging people of different backgrounds to contribute to this growth. Here are some of the questions that people entering GenAI have:

1. Do I need a technical background?

No computer science degree? No problem. Most GenAI tools today are designed for normal humans, lacking any sort of technical expertise. If you can use Google Docs, you can use tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Canva AI. You don’t need to know how AI works under the hood. Think of it like using a car without knowing how the engine works. This is especially the case now, when more and more GenAI tools are being released, tailored towards beginners. The tools emphasize application over understanding, thereby making them more and more beginner-friendly by the day. The more you experiment, the better you’ll intuitively understand how to use it: no manual needed.

2. Which programming languages should I know?

Coding is powerful. Yes! But not required to dive into GenAI. Most tools now have drag-and-drop interfaces, chat-based inputs, or even voice commands. Whether you’re writing stories, generating images, summarizing PDFs, or creating social media content, you can do it all by just typing plain English (or any language you prefer). If you can chat, you can prompt. That’s it.

But having that programming experience does come in handy as well. This would allow you to use developer-focused GenAI tools that offer a lot more agency and allow for further customization.

Have coding experience: Use developer-focused GenAI tools such as OpenAI API, LangChain, Hugging Face Transformers, etc. 

Lack coding experience: Use no-code GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, Canva AI, Replit, Loveable, etc. 

3. Which skills should I know before entering?

The real secret sauce in GenAI is mastering prompts. Prompts are what you type into the tool to get the results/responses. Consider them as human language instructions that guide the AI’s workflows. But instead of hard-coding everything programmatically, you can just verbalize and get the task done. It’s not about fancy syntax, it’s about being clear, specific, detailed, and complete about our ask.

Example: Instead of typing “write me a story,” try “write a funny bedtime story for a 7-year-old about a superhero dog who hates baths.” 

The latter one is not only a lot more detailed but also helps the AI to streamline its scope, making responses relevant and targeted, rather than vague and broad, which are supposed to appease everyone. The clearer one’s prompts are, the better the responses will be. 

There are tons of prompt libraries online, and you’ll get better just by experimenting.

4. Which resources should I learn from?

Don’t get stuck in YouTube tutorial rabbit holes. Instead of encouraging or welcoming newcomers to the field, they end up gatekeeping it under the name of “Preparation”. GenAI tools are interactive playgrounds. The best way to learn is by actually using them. Start with a free tool (like ChatGPT or Canva), give it a task, and see what happens. The more comfortable you get, the better you will be at handling it. No amount of prep time would serve as a replacement for experience. 

Make mistakes. Ask weird questions. Break stuff. That’s the GenAI learning curve: playful, messy, and fun!

5. How much it’ll cost me to get comfortable in GenAI?

Most people consider knowledge about GenAI domains as some arcane stuff that only a handful know about. Leading to a conception that one needs to enroll in a costly professional course or go through a hefty paywall to get access to the right tools. But on the contrary, most GenAI tools offer free tiers or trial access. You don’t have to subscribe to anything to get started. 

The following list outlines free tools that are used in specific sub-domains of GenAI:

• Text: ChatGPT (Free), Claude, Gemini
• Images: Bing Image Creator, Ideogram, Leonardo AI (free tokens)
• Video: RunwayML (basic tier), Pika Labs (free credits)
• PDFs: ChatPDF, Humata
• Product mockups: Kittl, Canva AI

Start free. If you love it and want more control or quality, then consider upgrading. But by the time you would have to make that purchase, you will already have garnered sufficient experience with the tool. 

6. Do I need to understand how AI works to start using it?

No! You don’t need to understand the inner workings of AI to get started. Generative AI tools emphasize application over knowledge. They’re user-friendly and intuitive, allowing you to interact with them through simple prompts or commands. As a beginner, all you need is curiosity and an interest in experimentation. You can start with prompts and then gravitate towards specialized tools used to solve specific problems. Throughout all of this, you don’t need to know how stuff works under the hood.

But having that background knowledge is a plus, as that would allow you to make tools of your own based on the preexisting ones.

7. What are the risks of using GenAI?

GenAI tools are designed to be beginner-friendly, but it’s important to understand that they can sometimes produce incorrect or biased results. You might not always know how to identify or correct these errors. Which is why it’s important to stay critical of the results generated and take the results with a grain of salt. Another risk is over-reliance on the tool without truly understanding its workings, which might make it a dependency instead of assistance. As long as you’re aware of these risks and use the tools as assistants rather than replacements, you can avoid these pitfalls.

Conclusion

The GenAI world is moving fast, but that doesn’t mean you’ve missed the boat. Tools are getting more beginner-friendly by the day. Whether you’re a student, a creator, a professional, or just plain curious, this might be the perfect time to start. With the pace at which the generative AI field is advancing, the future looks promising. If there is one takeaway from this article, it is that an “Idea” is the only prerequisite to GenAI.