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This week, I have something a little different for you. Knowing that it’s still the holiday season and many listeners are traveling or with family, I decided to try an experiment. I’m going to interview a computer regarding the pros and cons of Workamping and the RV lifestyle.
There has been a lot of talk lately about artificial intelligence and what it means for many industries. It’s making its biggest impact on the communications industry for its ability to quickly generate written, audio and video content.
I’ve heard of ChatGPT in the past, and have actually experimented with it a couple of times. I’ll admit, it impressed me with its ability to create content in just a few minutes by having some guidance as to what to write about.
When I told a colleague that I didn’t like computer-generated content because it always read like it was written by a computer, she told me I needed to train it to write more like me.
Intrigued, I followed her advice, and the result truly left me stunned. That was about the time I heard about realistic computer-generated voices being implemented at relatively low cost.
So I approached Jody and Luke, the owners of Workamper News, with an idea about doing a tongue-in-cheek interview with ChatGPT about what Workamping and the RV lifestyle is like. Then I’d run the computer responses through a voice synthesizer to create an artificial, but real sounding podcast interview. They agreed, and you’re about to hear the result.
Keep in mind, the computer’s responses required very little editing, other than to smooth some transitions between one question and the other.
It was a fun project, but scary. ChatGPT impressed me with its ability to write humorous prose, and some of the details provided and responses it generated were spot on.
Since ChatGPT learns by scanning the internet for content to manipulate into its own responses, it was evident that a lot of RVers still complain about campground internet connections.
I was most impressed with its knowledge of a “mysterious set of mechanical Gremlins that only appear when you’re 200 miles from the nearest mechanic.” Anyone who has ever been RVing for longer than six hours knows that to be true.
I like ChatGPT’s response about the views outside RV windows. Reality is certainly not like the majority of RVing commercials.
I laughed at the story it created about climbing the tower to check the internet connection, only to discover the antenna was incorporated into a bird’s nest and a critter had been chewing on the cables.
Its description of the various types of RVs used by Workampers was pretty accurate, too. ChatGPT created some pretty realistic responses regarding the highlights of the Workamping lifestyle, as well as the hurdles they encounter on the job.
The quip about being stuck in Los Angeles traffic and being able to fire up the grill to make s’mores was pretty clever, as was its suggestion to avoid Death Valley in August.
I genuinely like ChatGPT’s advice to embrace the unexpected, choose Workamping gigs that match your vibe and be ready to laugh.
All in all, I was impressed not only with ChatGPT’s ability to accurately describe the Workamping lifestyle, but also with ElevenLab’s ability to generate realistic sounding voices from written text. Is artificial intelligence the way of the future? You tell me. But if this is any indication as to where we are headed as a society, artificial intelligence appears to be here to stay.
Let’s hope ChatGPT didn’t do such a good job that I’ll be replaced as a podcast host in a few weeks.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Workamper News. Much more than just a job-listing website, when you put the tools of this professional service into action, you’ll find out just how easy it can be to turn your Workamping dreams into reality.
A Workamper membership opens the door to a one-stop shop for all things Workamping. Being the original resource for Workamping, you can find the largest number of job listings, be able to connect with a community of Workampers and view resources compiled by experts who’ve been enjoying the RV lifestyle for many years.
If you’re serious about leading a successful and enjoyable Workamping lifestyle, then membership is for you. Join today at Workcamper.com. Embark on new adventures today with the support of Workamper News behind you.
That’s all I have for this week’s show. Next time, I’ll have a real interview with a real employer about some opportunities to make money in 2025.
Thanks for joining me on this excursion into the future. Please drop me a note in the comments. I’d love to know what you thought of ChatGPT and the computer voice. Thanks for listening and may 2025 be a phenomenal year for you and your family. Happy New Year!
