Happy Thursday!

Welcome back to HOW TO // AI — glad you're here!

Here's what we've got for ya:

Let's get started!

For about a year, I thought I was good at AI.

I used it every day. I had my prompts. I got useful answers. Then I watched someone who actually knew what they were doing, and I realized I'd been parked at the same level for months without knowing it. I wasn't bad at AI. I just had no idea there were levels above where I was sitting.

Here's the framework I wish I'd had back then. Four levels. Figure out which one you're at, and the next move becomes obvious.

You've opened ChatGPT or Claude a few times. You know AI is a big deal. You've asked it some questions and gotten answers that were fine. But you haven't built it into anything yet.

You're here if: AI is something you try occasionally, not something you reach for by default. You mostly use it like a search engine.

The one move that levels you up: Pick one real task you do every week and commit to using AI for it every single time. Repetition is what turns AI from a novelty into a habit.

You use AI regularly. You've got a few things you always use it for. You're getting real value. This is where most people land, and it's also where most people quietly get stuck, because it feels like enough.

You're here if: You use AI most days but always for the same handful of tasks, always in the same tool, always by typing into a chat box.

The one move that levels you up: Start giving AI context before you ask. Who you are, what you're working on, what a good answer looks like. The difference between a generic answer and a great one is almost always the context you did or didn't provide.

You've stopped treating AI like a search engine and started treating it like a thinking partner. You use different tools for different jobs. You give context without thinking about it. You catch it when it's wrong.

You're here if: You have a small stack of AI tools and you know which one to reach for. You verify important answers. You use AI for things most people wouldn't think to.

The one move that levels you up: Build repeatable workflows. Stop solving the same problem from scratch each time and start creating templates, saved prompts, and processes you reuse.

AI isn't a tool you use anymore. It's woven into how you work. You delegate whole chunks of work to it. You build systems around it. The gap between what you can do in a day and what someone at Level 1 can do isn't 2x. It's closer to 10x.

You're here if: You're running workflows, building things, and using AI in ways that genuinely change your output, not just your speed.

The one move that keeps you growing: Teach it. The fastest way to find the gaps in your own AI skills is to explain them to someone else.

The full cheat sheet — the specific habits, prompts, and workflows that move you up each level — is in the free download above.

If you want to go deeper on any of this, the right tool for each job and better prompting issues cover the Level 2 and Level 3 moves in detail.

Reading the levels is one thing. Knowing exactly where you sit is another.

I built a free 5-minute quiz that tells you your level, what's working, and the single move that would push you to the next one. Seven questions, no email required, instant result.

People keep replying with "this is uncomfortably accurate," which is exactly what I was going for.

🧰 The AI tool I use most
The full stack I use and how to pick the right AI for any job. Free Right Tool Cheat Sheet included.

🤯 AI does THAT?
Five professional AI uses most people never discover — voice, vision, roleplay, and more. Free AI Unexpected Uses Kit included.

🚨 Your AI is lying to you
How to catch AI hallucinations before they cause a problem. Free AI Fact-Check Kit included.

Have a question you want answered? Email [email protected] and you just might be featured in an upcoming issue!

This newsletter is your starter kit for mastering AI with confidence. We keep things simple, show real examples, and focus on quick wins you can repeat.

Stay curious, stick with it, and watch your skills grow week by week!

Until next time :)

— David

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