Introducing Chat GPT and Artificial Intelligence in Application Packaging

Silent Installation with ChatGPT

Silent switches for certain software are still a major topic in the application packaging industry. While there are ways to find them, such as visiting the software’s official website or documentation or simply searching for them on Google, this doesn’t mean that the information is easily accessible.

However, AI tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot allow you to simply enter a query into them. These tools will simplify the process by guiding the users through it and outlining necessary steps, such as identifying the suitable installation flags.

Some installers may use the /silent parameter, while others may use the /s parameter. Or perhaps, you have additional parameters during the installation process, such as a license key or a certain setting. ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are useful in these situations.

Customizing Application Packages

Software customization is another aspect of software packaging, especially in the enterprise environment. What does "customization" mean, exactly?

Customization means changing certain software settings in order to have a streamlined installation and configuration across your entire IT infrastructure.

One common customization is to disable the automatic updates of certain software because 90-99% of the applications in enterprise environments must be tested, packaged, and then deployed as an update.

Of course, there are other small customizations requested in each environment, which is where ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot can help.

If you ask AI where a certain setting (registry, files, etc.) is, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot will certainly give you the answer straight away. This way, you spend less time for manual change and to take a snapshot to check which files or registry have been changed, etc.

Furthermore, AI can guide you on additional routes you can take to easily and safely customize your application package.

Simplifying Scripting

Scripting is a cornerstone of application packaging, whether for creating custom actions or developing installation wrappers.

In the modern world, repackaging an application is not as popular, and IT professionals typically rely on wrappers such as PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit to achieve the silent installation and customization of an application. Of course, MSI changes are still widely used, and IT professionals continue to rely on Custom Actions, whether through VBScript or PowerShell.

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot proved that they are behaving exceptionally for relatively simple scripting for application packaging.

For example, suppose a software package requires a custom installation routine. In that case, ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot can assist in crafting a PowerShell script that achieves this, incorporating necessary checks and balances to ensure a smooth installation.

You can also ask ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to prepare your PowerShell Application Toolkit script with the exact installation and customization details, and you will receive the full output.

This assistance not only optimizes the scripting process but also enhances the reliability and efficiency of the deployment.

Beyond Scripting: A Comprehensive Tool

In the software packaging department, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot’s assistance extends beyond the classical instructions and scripts, as they can offer awesome insights into industry best practices, trends, or known issues in software deployment.

With this broader perspective, your IT department can not only execute their immediate tasks more efficiently but also plan and have a clear strategy in place for future software deployments within the infrastructure.

Moreover, both ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot have continuous learning capabilities, which means that they will evolve to match the industry, incorporating all the latest developments, trends, and best practices in their responses.

The Future of Application Packaging with ChatGPT

Integrating ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot into the application packaging process offers a transformative potential, significantly reducing delivery timelines while improving the deployment accuracy and efficacy.

In conclusion, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are more than just tools. They signify a shift towards more intelligent, responsive, and efficient IT practices, transforming traditional processes and forecasting a future where technology solutions are both innovative and user-centric.

Final Takeaways

• Even though it has not yet been integrated into packaging tools, AI is transforming business application packaging by accelerating specific tasks and reducing delivery times.
• A significant amount of research into silent installation switches and parameters can be simplified and accelerated using tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.
• AI makes application customization more efficient, particularly by identifying and excluding configuration points such as registry entries and files rather than relying on snapshots.
• Packaging scripts, whether written in PowerShell, PSADT, or custom actions, become more intuitive as AI develops, optimizes, and checks scripts for common packaging patterns and standards.
• As a result of working on more hands-on tasks, AI could serve more as an advisory guide. It would identify industry trends, known deployment issues, and best practices.