The A La Carte

Today I sat in on a class about AI tools, and I walked away with a handful of insights that anyone can use, whether you’re a total beginner or you’ve already been dabbling.

1. Personalize your AI.
Give it a chance to learn you. Upload a personality test, feed it your writing samples, or flat-out tell it about your quirks. The more it knows your voice, the less it’ll sound like a robot when it writes for you.

2. Write better prompts.
This is the big one. Think of it like teaching someone to make a PB&J. If you just say, “Make a sandwich,” you’ll end up with peanut butter on the counter and jelly on the floor. But if you give step-by-step details, the outcome will actually resemble lunch. Same with AI: the clearer you are, the better the answer.

3. Ask it to show its work.
AI is eager to answer, but not always eager to be accurate. Asking for sources or an explanation helps you double-check what’s true and what’s creative fiction.

4. Use the option hack.
Don’t settle for one answer. Ask it to give you three approaches, or two solutions plus a wild card. Then cherry-pick the best parts and stitch them together into your final result.

5. Ask, “What am I missing?”
This one’s gold. AI can spot blind spots faster than we can — whether it’s a gap in your argument, a step you skipped, or a challenge you didn’t notice about yourself.

And here’s the truth: I’m not worried about AI stealing my job. People will always need someone to manage their tools, double-check the output, and — most importantly — build the relationships that machines can’t. AI is just that: a tool. So why not give it a try? I’m happy to share how I use it in business and my day-today life.

✨ Real life, served A La Carte.