How I Use ChatGPT to Create Presentations That Don’t Put People to Sleep
If you're like most professionals, you've sat through your fair share of snooze-worthy slideshows. You know the ones—dense text, chaotic layouts, and slides that seem to multiply with every passing minute. I’ve been there. That’s why I started using ChatGPT to rethink how I build and deliver presentations. What used to take hours now takes a fraction of the time. And more importantly, the results are sharper, clearer, and a lot more engaging.
Here's how I make it work—step by step.
1. Start With a Blank Page and a Simple Prompt
The first step is to stop staring at a blank PowerPoint and instead open ChatGPT. I usually begin with a short prompt: something like “I need to create a 10-slide presentation on [insert topic] for [insert audience].”
What comes back is a rough outline, usually organised into clear sections like:
- Title and introduction
- Background or context
- Key insights or data
- Solutions or recommendations
- Next steps or calls to action
This outline gives me a structure to build on—and saves me the headache of figuring out where to begin.
2. Shape the Story, Don’t Just Stack Slides
Once I’ve got the structure, I go back to ChatGPT to dig deeper into the content. This is where it really shines.
Say I’m giving a talk on customer behaviour in digital spaces. I’ll ask for three bullet points per section, and maybe even a short example or metaphor to keep it grounded. It’s like having someone to bounce ideas off—someone who doesn’t get tired or tell you to “just Google it.”
What I like most is that it helps me think in terms of story—not just data. Instead of dry facts, I’m guided to focus on flow: setting the scene, raising questions, showing the impact, and leading the audience towards a clear takeaway.
3. Speed Up the Visuals Without Sacrificing Quality
Now for the design side.
I’m no graphic designer, and I don’t pretend to be. But I’ve found a few no-code tools that play well with ChatGPT and help me create slides that actually look decent:
- Canva or Gamma: I use these for layouts. Once I’ve got the copy from ChatGPT, I paste it into a template and it’s 80% there. The design is clean, and the formatting is taken care of.
- AI image generators: Sometimes, ChatGPT will suggest a visual idea for a slide—like a metaphor or concept that could be shown with an image. Tools like DALL·E or Midjourney help me turn those ideas into something visual, quickly.
The goal isn't to make it flashy (yet). It’s to make it clear.
4. Tailor the Tone and Language for the Room
One thing I’ve learnt: the best presentations don’t sound like textbooks. They sound like someone talking to you, not at you.
So I use ChatGPT to tweak the tone. If I’m presenting to a senior team, I’ll ask for something concise and formal. If it’s a workshop or a webinar, I’ll ask it to sound more conversational. It’s like having an editor on hand who adapts to your audience in seconds.
And yes, I still tweak things. But the heavy lifting? Done in minutes.
5. Prep for Questions—Before You Get Asked
This part’s underrated. Before I present, I’ll ask ChatGPT: “What questions might come up during this presentation?” It usually gives me a decent list—some obvious, some that catch me off guard.
Then I follow up with: “How should I respond to those questions in one or two sentences?”
That way, I’m not just delivering slides—I’m ready for the room.
The Payoff: More Time Thinking, Less Time Formatting
Since I started using ChatGPT for presentations, here’s what’s changed:
- I spend less time stuck on structure.
- I get to focus more on the message and less on the margins.
- I feel more prepared going in, and less wiped out coming out.
Whether you're a founder prepping for a pitch, or a team lead trying to make Monday’s update less of a slog—this process works. You don’t need to learn code or master ten design tools. You just need to ask the right questions, and let the AI do the first few drafts.
Then you shape it, cut it, and make it yours.
Simple as that.