If you've made it this far, it's because somehow you're curious about what Artificial Intelligence could do for you in your daily life, whether on a personal level, as a student, or as someone who wants to delve deeper into your hobbies,
as well as how it can help you professionally. After reading this article, I'm sure I will have convinced you to at least give AI a chance and try it out. You'll see there's no going back—before you know it, you'll be using AI daily. Enjoy the article.An AI assistant can transform daily tasks without you needing to be an expert:
"I've found that AI saves me so much valuable time. It helps me draft emails, summarize long documents, or generate ideas when I'm stuck - turning hours of work into minutes."
"What I love is how it lets me learn at my own pace. It breaks down any complex topic to match my level, answers follow-up questions until I truly get it, and never makes me feel judged."
"The way it breaks down barriers is incredible. It instantly translates languages, simplifies technical jargon, or turns complicated concepts into clear explanations."
"It really boosts my creativity too. When I need inspiration, it generates project ideas, suggests different approaches, or helps organize my thoughts."
"And the organization aspect? It summarizes lengthy articles, pulls out key points from meetings, or structures messy information into useful formats."
AI doesn't replace your thinking - it just removes friction from your day-to-day life. It's like having a personal assistant that helps you be more efficient at what you already do, letting you focus on what truly matters.
Practical Guide to Making the Most of AI Step by Step
Save Valuable Time
Getting Started:
- Ask AI to draft a simple email, like thanking someone. Look at what it creates and make small tweaks as needed.
Going Further:
- Use it to create drafts of more complex documents, like proposals or reports, by giving it the key points you want to include. Learn to refine your instructions to get better results.
Spark Your Curiosity:
- Try asking it to reorganize information you already have into different formats to discover new perspectives.
Learn at Your Own Pace
Getting Started:
- Ask about a topic that's always interested you but you've never fully understood. If the explanation seems complex, ask it to explain "like I'm 10 years old."
Going Further:
- Use the Socratic method: after each answer, ask "why?" or "can you go deeper on this?" to build knowledge in layers.
Spark Your Curiosity:
- Ask for comparisons between concepts or to explain surprising connections between different topics.
Break Down Barriers
Getting Started:
- Translate a simple phrase into a language that's always interested you, or ask it to simplify a technical paragraph you don't understand.
Going Further:
- Ask for explanations of complex concepts using analogies with topics you're familiar with.
Spark Your Curiosity:
- Try exploring how certain concepts are expressed in different cultures or professional fields.
Boost Your Creativity
Getting Started:
- Ask for 3 simple ideas to solve an everyday problem you have.
Going Further:
- Use techniques like "What if...?" (Example: "What if we combined these two concepts?") to generate more innovative ideas with AI's help.
Spark Your Curiosity:
- Ask for counterintuitive perspectives or approaches you wouldn't normally consider.
Organize Information
Getting Started:
- Ask it to summarize an article or video that interests you but you don't have time to consume completely.
Going Further:
- Share messy notes from a meeting or project and ask it to structure them into a useful, actionable format.
Spark Your Curiosity:
- Experiment with different ways of visualizing the same information (lists, tables, concept maps) to discover what works best for your brain.
Remember: The key is to start with small, specific tasks, celebrate the small wins, and gradually refine your skills in giving instructions. AI is there to serve you, not the other way around - you always maintain control over how you use it.
The Next Level: From Casual to Strategic AI User
Now that you've sparked their interest and mastered the basics, here are the next steps to elevate your experience:
Personalization and Workflows
Create reusable prompts for recurring tasks. Save your best instructions in a document to use repeatedly, refining them over time.
Integrate AI into your daily routine by establishing specific moments to use it: 10 minutes at the start of your day for planning, or at the end to summarize what you've learned.
Augmented Thinking
Use the "dialogue partner" technique where you share your thoughts with the AI and ask it to identify blind spots, hidden assumptions, or alternative perspectives.
Practice "zooming in/zooming out" by asking the AI to analyze both the minute details of a topic and its broader context to gain a complete vision.
Guided Personal Projects
- Undertake a learning project where the AI creates a personalized plan for you to master a skill, with small daily steps and tailored resources.
- Develop a collaborative creative project where you provide the vision and the AI helps you with technical aspects or generating alternatives.
Metacognition and Continuous Improvement
- Analyze your interactions by asking "How could I have formulated this question better?" after receiving answers that don't completely satisfy you.
- Experiment with different instruction styles (directive, collaborative, exploratory) to discover which works best depending on the task.
Community and Shared Resources
- Exchange discoveries with other users, sharing effective prompts or innovative use cases.
- Create a personal resource library organizing the best responses and techniques you've discovered for future reference.
The most powerful aspect at this stage is combining your unique human experience with AI capabilities, developing a "sixth sense" for knowing when and how to leverage it strategically, rather than using it reactively.
AI Options Based on Your Level
For an average user with a normal job and a reasonable monthly budget, these are the best options according to level:
For Beginners (free or almost free)
- Free ChatGPT (GPT-3.5 model) - Excellent entry point at no cost
- Claude AI free version - Good alternative with some different capabilities
- Bing Chat / Microsoft Copilot - Integrated into Edge browser at no additional cost
- Free Google Gemini - Another competent option without initial investment
For Intermediate Users ($10-20/month)
- ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) - Access to GPT-4o, the most capable model for general use
- Claude Pro ($20/month) - Excellent for long texts and nuanced reasoning
- Microsoft Copilot Pro ($20/month) - Good integration with Office and Windows
These subscriptions offer:
- More advanced models
- Higher usage quota (fewer limitations)
- Access during peak hours
- Additional features
For Advanced Users with Basic Technical Skills
- Ollama (free) - Run models on your local computer
- LM Studio (free) - User-friendly interface for local models
Recommendation for the Average User:
- Start with the free versions for 1-2 months to get familiar
- Consider ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro ($20/month) when you notice limitations
- You don't need multiple subscriptions - a single premium option is sufficient
For most users, a $20/month subscription to one of the main services provides all the capabilities needed to reach even the most advanced level I described earlier, without requiring special technical knowledge or expensive hardware.
Remember that the most powerful artificial intelligence is the one that adapts to you, not the other way around. It's not about using all the advanced functions or techniques, but finding those few uses that truly transform your daily life.
Many users discover that with just 2-3 specific AI applications they use regularly, they get 80% of the benefits. It could be drafting emails faster, learning something new each week, or simply having an assistant that helps you organize your thoughts.
True mastery isn't found in complexity, but in simplicity and consistency.
The best indicator that you're on the right path?
When using AI becomes so natural that you barely notice it's there... but you wonder how you ever did things before.
Basic tips for your security and privacy when using Artificial Intelligence
