AI Isn't Hard. You Just Haven't Been Taught To Think With It.

AND ONCE YOU SEE IT, YOU CAN'T UNSEE IT

There's a secret in every office. Lawyers are using Generative AI for really important cases. Even a prime minister has admitted to using AI. But many aren't admitting it.

But here is the thing, many don't understand how to use it properly.

Many people feel like AI is here to solve all their problems. Others don't touch it at all. Some are open to it, but understand that it has limitations.

How long until someone uses AI in the medical field or somewhere else where it could cost someone's life? On the flip side, how many lives has AI already saved in the medical field?

Here is what I've learned.

WHY MOST PEOPLE FAIL WITH AI AND HOW TO AVOID IT

People either think AI has all the answers in the world, or they dismiss it completely.

AI has as much in common with the human brain as a flashlight and the sun. They both provide light, but that's where it ends. Generative AI's large language models predict words based on patterns. This is why ChatGPT can produce a masterpiece on a well-covered topic and make things up when it does not have information.

It is just a large prediction machine.

Many people say all the answers they get from AI are rubbish. But it is most likely because they don't understand that they are the pilot. A pilot has to understand how a plane works before they can pilot it well. The same applies to Generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

If you ask AI questions that are clear, with well-thought-out goals and proper context, the answers improve massively.

AI is a skill, not a shortcut.

YOU ARE THE PILOT: HOW TO THINK WITH AI INSTEAD OF OUTSOURCING YOUR THINKING

The people who get the best results are the ones who experiment daily and reflect on how to get better results. You are trying to get the machine to work with you, not to think for you.

AI thrives on the same things that people do: clear goals and constant feedback.

People already have the skills to use AI effectively they just don't know it yet. If you owned a restaurant, you wouldn't just hire someone, tell them to do work, then disappear. You would guide them, check in regularly, and sometimes course-correct when they make mistakes.

Ultimately you would be responsible for what they produce, as you are the one training them. We call this the human loop the ability to keep track of AI outputs and maintain accountability over what it produces.

AI BIAS IS REAL: WHY YOU MUST ALWAYS USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT

Many people in workplaces are using AI to help them with their work, but how much of their work includes sensitive data? What happens if that data is leaked?

It's not just about security the risks go beyond that. AI is trained on data that humans have created, which means it carries the same biases we do. That's why you should avoid making certain judgement calls using AI, particularly in areas like hiring.

"Amazon scraps secret AI recruiting tool that showed bias against women." — Reuters

AI IS MOVING FASTER THAN ANY TECHNOLOGY BEFORE IT, DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND

The development of AI is fast. It is not like other technologies where you can afford to wait and see. You have to get on the train now. Just a short while ago, you couldn't tell AI to build you a fully functioning website and now you can.

It is your own responsibility to understand AI. The gap between those who know how to think with it and those who don't will only grow wider.

In Closing

AI isn't magic, and it isn't a threat it's a tool. And like any tool, it works best in the hands of someone who has taken the time to understand it. Once you learn to think with it, you can't go back.

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