Original video in Chinese.
Key Takeaway
- ChatGPT can’t directly generate PPTs, but you can use Marp and CSS as a bridge to generate Markdown code and then convert it into a PPT.
- Marp is a tool that can convert Markdown files into PPTs, and its syntax is simple enough to meet everyday PPT needs.
- Combined with VS Code and the Marp for VS Code plugin, users can have ChatGPT generate PPT code and preview and export it in VS Code.
- The core of this method is to use the simplicity of Markdown and Marp’s conversion capabilities to implement PPT content and layout through code.
- The article emphasizes that the core of a PPT is logic, not flashy formatting. Marp and CSS can meet everyday needs, but the generated PPTs can’t be manually edited and can only be modified through code.
Full Content
I’ve finally found a way to get ChatGPT to make PPTs.
ChatGPT is good at logic and can browse the internet, so it has no problem generating written content. But if you want it to generate a PPT, that’s a bit tricky. Because what it gives you is still text, and you have to create a PPT yourself and manually paste it in to format it.
For example, I asked ChatGPT: help me write an introductory PPT about the Honda Dax E.
ChatGPT will dutifully write out the content for every slide. But, as I just said, all of that is just text, and it’s still a bit far from a PPT.
Let me try a different way of asking. I tell ChatGPT: using Marp and CSS, help me write a PPT introducing the Honda Dax E.
At this point, what ChatGPT gives me is not text, but code. Once that long string of code is all output, I copy everything and paste it into VS Code. You can see that the PPT preview appears on the right.
Compared with the old manual approach, now you only need one piece of software, VS Code, and one action, copy and paste, to generate the PPT.
Exporting the PPT is also very simple:
In the VS Code command palette, choose “Show and Run Commands,” then select Export Slide Deck. By default, it exports as a PDF. If you need a PPT, just select that format in the format list. Wait a few seconds, and after it exports, it will open automatically. Then we office workers see a very familiar interface.
The core idea of the method I’m using here is to use Marp as the bridge. Marp stands for Markdown Presentation Ecosystem. As the name suggests, it can convert Markdown files into PPTs.
So ChatGPT or other AI tools are responsible for outputting in Markdown format, putting all the content that should be in the PPT into it, and then handing it all over to Marp for conversion. That’s why I call it a bridge.
As for Markdown, if you’ve used a lot of productivity tools before, like Obsidian, which I recommended before, or Ulysses, the world’s best writing software, then Markdown should be familiar to you. Its syntax is super simple, like first-level, second-level, and third-level headings, as well as bold text, numbered lists, images, and so on. These all still apply when turned into a PPT — generally speaking, PPT content is mainly made up of text blocks and images.
And based on my more than ten years of PPT-making experience — believe me, I work in the communications and marketing industry, and people in our industry are among the best at making PPTs on Earth — the more successful a PPT is, the less complicated it is. Because the core of PowerPoint is Point; the core of Point is logic, not all that flashy formatting. So Marp’s own support for layout, plus CSS capabilities, basically meets everyday PPT needs.
OK, ChatGPT can output Markdown, so what should be used to display and export it? There are several tools. I chose VS Code because I usually write Python with it. So I only need to install the Marp for VS Code plugin.
Just like in the demo earlier, create a new .md file in VS Code and paste in all the code ChatGPT gave you. If there’s anything you need to modify, just have ChatGPT change it directly — whether it’s the content or the layout, let it regenerate it. Anyway, I’m on the Plus monthly plan, so I don’t need to think about token costs, and I can keep asking ChatGPT to revise it until I’m satisfied.
However, from an efficiency standpoint, I also recommend not relying on ChatGPT completely. Once it’s roughly done, just edit the code yourself. It’s pretty simple anyway.
Finally, I want to remind you of two things:
First, PPTs generated this way can’t be manually edited. If you want to change them, you can only go back into the code and modify it.
Second, Marp’s advantage is that it’s simple and easy to pick up. If you think it’s too simple, there are others, like Slidev. That one is really quite complex, and the learning curve is steep. I’ll share about it in the community later.
OK, that’s it for this episode. If you want to connect further, come find me on newtype — I’m always there. See you next time!