Set Up Your First ChatGPT Project

Moving beyond chat mode

Most people I talk to work with AI in one of two ways:

1. Open a chat, get help, then start over tomorrow in a new window without background.

2. Use one really long chat they keep going back to because it has all the info from endless back and forth.

If you find yourself repeating similar tasks or feeding AI the same details regularly, Projects are a better option.

Not only will they save you time and start getting you better results, they will get you seeing how to use AI strategically in your work.

What's a ChatGPT Project?

A Project holds three things:

1. Sources you attach: files, Drive documents, Slack details, and text you paste in.

2. Instructions that tell ChatGPT how to respond every time you use the Project. (Think of this like a prompt automatically read at the start of each chat.)

3. Chats that pull in your sources and instructions automatically, and build up project memories across conversations as you go.

Without a Project: you rebuild what AI knows and how AI acts every chat.

With a project: the sources and the standing instructions live with the project. Every new chat inside it starts with all of it already loaded (no re-pasting or re-framing).

Three ways to use Projects

Projects aren't just a way to get organized. Instructions make it so you can use them for different types of work:

1. As a helper on a specific initiative: Like a launch, a campaign, a Q3 strategy, a presentation you are building.
2. To support a recurring task or workflow: Like building out a weekly status report, brainstorming for your editorial calendar, helping with your monthly board update or your client comms work.
3. For specific feedback or perspective: Like simulating your CMO's feedback, a business advisor for strategy questions, or a peer-reviewer voice for first drafts.

Creating Projects for the latter two will get you to think about AI strategically:

• Spot where AI can help with processes
• Find ways to use AI for new perspective
• Learn to design and edit instructions (prompts) so the Project meets your needs each conversation

How do Projects differ from other ChatGPT features?

If you're a dedicated ChatGPT user, you may be thinking Projects sound like other features you're familiar with. Here's how they compare:

• Custom Instructions: Managed in Settings, can be used to define how you want ChatGPT to respond to every chat. This should be used broadly, where Projects should be used when instructions only apply to a portion of your conversations.

• Memory: Also managed in Settings, is running bits of information ChatGPT keeps about you to make chats feel more personal. Bits like you're working on, preferences, and random things you've told it. Projects can pull in memories ChatGPT has stored across all conversations or can be set to Project only memories so responses aren't clouded.

• Custom GPTs: These have the most overlap with Projects, but there is some nuance. Custom GPTs are similar in that they have saved instructions and can access source files, making them great for repeat tasks. The difference is there is no memory of past chats. GPTs are good for tasks with limited variation, where Projects are better for complexity and cross-conversation knowledge.

From here on out, each time you work on this topic, open a new chat INSIDE your new Project.

As the work evolves, add new sources and refine your Instructions.