How to Build a Custom GPT

Something introduced by the OpenAI folks last November is the ability to create your own custom GPT to accomplish a specific task. Building a custom GPT requires a subscription to GPT-4, which has a larger set of parameters than GPT-3.5, and therefore can tackle more complex tasks and generate more accurate responses. It’s worth the money.

I started to think about what tasks I could automate through a custom GPT, and decided to create a blog article generator that could accurately mimic my writing style.

If you would like to try building your own custom GPT, it’s pretty straightforward. First, click your name in the lower left of your screen and select My GPTs. There’s an option to create a GPT along with a list of any you’ve previously created.

For my instructions, I added several blog articles I had written for my site BrandSyncopation.com so BlogSmith could pick up on my writing style. You can always add more instructions later.

You can also give your GPT conversation starters that will show up on the home screen as a time saver. For example, for BlogSmith it made sense to have “Write a blog post in my style…” as a starter phrase.

I asked GPT4 separately for some naming suggestions for my generator and one option was BlogSmith. I liked it and now my GPT had a name. It also had a pretty nifty DALL-E graphic to go along with it.

I’ve done several marketing and design book reviews on my blog, so as a test I asked BlogSmith to review something I hadn’t, Ogilvy on Advertising. Here’s a paragraph from what BlogSmith came up with:

“Hey there, fellow book lovers and advertising enthusiasts! 📚✨ Today, I’m super excited to chat about a classic that’s been sitting on my shelf, begging to be revisited – “Ogilvy on Advertising” by David Ogilvy. If you’re in the advertising world or just love a good read that offers a peek into the genius minds of the past, this book is your ticket!

First off, let’s talk about David Ogilvy himself – the man’s a legend! He’s like the Beatles of the advertising world, you know? His ideas and concepts have shaped the way we think about advertising even today. This book, first published in 1983, is like a time capsule filled with his wisdom, wit, and a pinch of that old-school charm.”

This came across as way too forced, like your Dad trying to be hip. After asking BlogSmith for a slightly more formal tone, the result was more to my liking:

“Greetings to all book enthusiasts and advertising aficionados. Today, I am delighted to share my thoughts on a seminal work in the field of advertising – “Ogilvy on Advertising” by the illustrious David Ogilvy. This book, a cornerstone for anyone interested in the art of advertising or seeking a deeper understanding of its history, merits a thorough discussion.

David Ogilvy, often referred to as the ‘Father of Advertising’, is a figure whose influence in the advertising realm is unparalleled. His book, first published in 1983, serves as a repository of his extensive knowledge and experience. It’s akin to a masterclass in advertising from one of the industry’s pioneers.”

Is this perfect? No, but it’s a great start. Using BlogSmith will require a mind-shift on my part; I like writing and creating, and I’ve never used Generative AI for any of my blog posts or other writing. Hopefully with some practice I can strike the right balance.

Note: I was inspired to try this by Chrisopher S. Penn’s newsletter (which I highly recommend for data science and AI).