How I actually use AI
The full guide: ten chapters, worked examples for the job you actually do, and nine ready-to-run starter skills. Work through it in order, or jump to what you need.
Before you start
- All you need to begin is a free account with an AI tool, ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. No payment, no setup.
- Brand new to this? Open Getting started first for your literal first five minutes, screenshots and all.
- Then work through the chapters in order, or jump to whatever you need.
Chapters
- 1Start here8 min readThe shift from chatbot to connected sidekick.
- 2Prompting properly6 min readBrief your agent like a colleague and get clear results.
- 3The basic concepts5 min readWhat actually makes an agent reliable.
- 4Make it yours6 min readTeach it who you are, so every answer fits you.
- 5Staying safe7 min readSimple guardrails so you keep control.
- 6Connect your tools6 min readHook up your first work tool, safely.
- 7Everyday workflows6 min readInbox, calendar, meetings and documents, handed off.
- 8Reusable skills6 min readTurn a good result into a workflow you reuse.
- 9Your dashboard7 min readOne calm page that holds your whole week.
- 10The operating loop6 min readThe weekly rhythm that ties it all together.
Appendices
- ·Worked examplesThe everyday jobs, across different kinds of work.
- ·Getting started and getting unstuckYour literal first five minutes, screenshots and all.
- ·The nine starter skillsPaste-in skills you can open, run and keep.
- ·GlossaryThe words, in plain English.
Download
- Want the raw files to keep or adapt? The whole guide and all nine starter skills are open source. Download everything as markdown, grab any single chapter or skill from its own page, or browse the source on GitHub.