The most common question I get asked is how people can thrive in the AI era. So I decided to create a full guide. Here are the 6 steps you need to take to win in the AI age.
Why is learning AI important? It’s the future of work. In the near future, every knowledge worker in the world will have to integrate AI into their workflows. Sam Altman recently said we’re
“about to enter the greatest golden age of human possibility”.
Here’s some data from Slack’s recent 10,000-worker study. – As of January 2024, 1 in 4 desk workers reported they have tried AI tools for work – And around 80% say that this technology is already improving their productivity. If you haven’t gotten started yet, here’s my advice:
Six Smart tips
Step 1: Start Small, but Start Now
The good thing about being a beginner right now is that the space moves so fast. So many developments come out that you can catch up to early adopters pretty quickly. If you start now, you’re still early.
Step 2: Think Like a Problem-Solver
Here’s where most beginners mess up: They try every shiny new AI tool out there. I’ve been there, but there are too many tools, and you’ll waste time and money. Find the problem you want to automate first. THEN find the tool.
3-step framework:
- List out your daily tasks at work
- Identify time-consuming or repetitive tasks
- Ask yourself, “Could an AI tool help with this?” Every time you think, “There’s gotta be a better way to do this,” jot it down. These are your AI integration opps.
Step 3: Find Inspiration From Others
This is the cheat code to get started faster. The best place to do this is hands-down my AI University, where you can find 200+ use cases and learn from other early adopters on how they’re integrating AI. But X is great too.
Step 4: Top Tools to Get Started
After you find the problems that you can automate, now it’s time to find the tool that can solve them. My favorite spot: Supertools (my free AI tool database) Pro tip: Scroll all the way to the bottom and click my “Top Picks” section
Step 5: Learn By Doing
The best way to learn now is to tinker with the tools and try to solve those problems you have. First try yourself, then if you get stuck, look for tutorials on YT, Twitter, or even try asking Perplexity.
Here’s a structured approach to learning AI tools:
- Set a goal problem to solve (e.g., “Use AI to create a marketing campaign”)
- Choose a relevant tool
- Trial-and-error, or follow a tutorial
- Apply it to your real-world task
- Reflect on the process and results
Step 6: Stay Current
This is arguably the most important step. Set a date in your calendar every week to sit down for a couple of hours and catch up on the news, try new tools, and slowly start automating your work.
That’s it for today’s breakdown.
Author: Rowan Cheung
Read related articles: