AI Explorer
"I've started using AI tools and I'm getting the hang of it."
What this level looks like
You've adopted one or two AI tools and use them somewhat regularly β maybe ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, or whatever your company provides. You mostly use it for text tasks like drafting emails, summarizing documents, or answering questions. You get decent results but sense there's a lot more you could be doing. Your prompts tend to be short and generic, like Google searches. That's the single biggest thing to change at this stage. The unlock isn't learning fancier prompts β it's giving AI better *context*: who the audience is, what you've already tried, what constraints matter.
What to do next
- ✓ Try giving AI more context in your prompts: who the audience is, what tone you want, what format, and an example of what good looks like
- ✓ Explore one new AI category you haven't tried yet β image generation, productivity tools, or voice dictation
- ✓ Try reverse prompting: instead of crafting the perfect question, ask AI to interview you first β "Before you answer, ask me 5 clarifying questions that would improve your response"
Recommended guides
How to Actually Get Good at AI
Forget prompt engineering courses and YouTube marathons. Here's how someone who uses AI professionally every day actually built their skills β and what I'd recommend if you're starting now.
10 min readThe Research Pipeline: How I Use Perplexity and Claude Together
Most people use AI tools in isolation. Here's the workflow I use daily β Perplexity for sourced research, Claude for deep analysis β and why the combination is worth more than either tool alone.
13 min readYour AI Agrees With You Too Much
AI assistants have a dangerous habit: they validate whatever you say. That's not a bug you can fix with 'be more critical.' Here's what actually works β and the three failed attempts that taught us why.
15 min readExplore these categories
AI Assistants
Conversational AI tools for writing, analysis, coding, and research.
Image Generation
Create stunning visuals from text descriptions β illustrations, photos, art, and more.
AI for Productivity
AI tools that supercharge your daily workflow β notes, meetings, presentations, and more.
Voice & Dictation
AI-powered dictation tools that let you talk instead of type β faster, smarter, and multilingual.
Worth checking out
One Useful Thing
The best newsletter on practical AI use from a Wharton professor. Clear, thoughtful, and always grounded in real experience.
(opens in a new tab)The Neuron
A daily AI newsletter that explains the latest developments in plain language. Great for staying current without feeling overwhelmed.
(opens in a new tab)Matt Wolfe β YouTube
Excellent AI tool reviews and tutorials. Matt tests everything himself and gives honest, practical assessments.
(opens in a new tab)Google AI Essentials
A free, beginner-friendly course from Google covering AI fundamentals. Well-structured and practical.
(opens in a new tab)Is this your level?
Take the free 2-minute AI Fluency Quiz to find out where you actually are β you might surprise yourself.
Take the Quiz