If you already use it, comment with your best pro-tip.
If you don’t, read on…
I hear the same refrains:
• “It changes too fast.”
• “I’m not technical.”
• “It may take over the world, but there’s nothing I can do about it anyway.”
These seem like cop-outs but really it is human nature to stand still in the face of any change – much less global transformation and upheaval.
But here’s the counterpoint: it’s not too late. In fact, now is the best time.
The truth is, everyone now has access to intelligence on demand. What used to take research teams, consultants, or hours of labor can now be done in minutes with the right prompt. This is not a passing trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how knowledge is accessed, shared, and applied.
And it’s not just about efficiency. It’s about staying relevant:
• Use it for your kids, so you can model adaptability and guide what they need to know for their future. They need your wisdom.
• Learn it to stay young—mentally agile and curious. Any new skill builds more synapses.
• Practice with it so you aren’t left behind as the world transitions to a new way of working.
• Test it so you can train it…see Pro-tip.
I follow investor Stephen McBride, who wrote an excellent guide on how to practically use AI. But I’ve also seen it firsthand in unexpected places:
• An HR manager who uses AI to take emotion out of employee relations reports, making them fairer and more objective.
• A college student who used ideas to develop better questions when rushing a fraternity. The answers were his but the prompts taught him how to prep in the face of shyness.
• As McBride notes and I have done the same: Writers who use AI to get past the block of a blank page. The first draft may be horrible—but it’s a start, and momentum matters.
💡 Pro tip: Don’t just ask AI to “help.” Give it context and a role. For example:
“You are an anthropologist and expert behavioral scientist. Analyze these comments to assess customer sentiment. Use evidenced-based models and quote sources.”
💡 Pro tip: Test it. Ask about items you ALREADY KNOW and have expertise. Your feedback is essential for its learning.
AI is not a gimmick—it’s a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger you’ll get.
So the real question isn’t “Why bother with AI?” It’s: How can you afford not to?