AI Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
Most AI content is written for technical people. Advanced prompting. Complex workflows. Enterprise implementations.
But what about everyone else?
I spent December sharing one simple AI tip per day on LinkedIn. No jargon. No technical requirements. Just practical ways to use AI tools that anyone can try today.
This post compiles all 12 tips in one place. Bookmark it. Share it with someone who's been curious about AI but doesn't know where to start.
Day 1: Screenshot to Explanation
See something confusing on your screen? An error message, a weird setting, a chart that makes no sense.
Take a screenshot. Upload it to ChatGPT or Claude. Ask "What does this mean?"
The AI sees what you see. It explains it in plain English. Tech support without the hold music.
Day 2: The Email Rewrite
Before you send that frustrated email, copy the text. Paste it into any AI. Type: "Rewrite this to be professional while keeping my main point."
You'll get your message across without torching a relationship. Works for complaint emails, difficult feedback, or anything you wrote after 9pm.
Day 3: Explain Like I'm 5
There are things you should probably know by now. But you don't. And you're embarrassed to ask.
AI doesn't care. Type: "Explain [confusing thing] like I'm 5 years old."
Blockchain. Net present value. Whatever it is. No judgment, just a clear answer.
Day 4: Gift Brainstorming
Open any AI and type: "Gift ideas for someone who [describe them]. Budget around $[amount]."
Be specific. "My brother-in-law likes fishing, hates gadgets, and already has everything. Under $75."
You'll get 10 ideas in seconds. Most will be things you never considered.
Day 5: Recipe Rescue
Missing an ingredient? Ask AI: "What can I substitute for [ingredient] in [dish]?"
Or better: "I'm making [recipe] but I don't have [ingredient]. What can I use instead and how much?"
It knows the science. It gives you the swap and the ratio.
Day 6: Voice Notes to Organized Thoughts
Your brain doesn't produce organized bullet points. It produces rambling streams of half-formed thoughts.
Use voice notes on your phone. Talk through your messy idea. Then paste the transcript into AI with: "Organize these thoughts into clear points."
Your ideas don't have to be polished to be valuable.
Day 7: Meeting Prep in 2 Minutes
You have a meeting in 30 minutes. You've barely glanced at the agenda.
Copy that agenda. Paste it into AI. Ask: "What are 5 smart questions I should ask in this meeting?"
In 2 minutes, you go from unprepared to the person asking the insightful questions.
Day 8: Thank You Note Assistance
There's someone you've been meaning to thank. You've thought about it. You haven't done it.
Open AI. Type: "Help me write a genuine thank you note to [person] for [what they did]. Keep it personal and sincere, not generic."
AI doesn't replace the gratitude. It removes the friction between feeling thankful and expressing it.
Day 9: Visual Identification
You see something. You don't know what it is. A weird plant. A bug. A mystery tool in your garage.
Take a photo. Upload it to AI. Ask: "What is this?"
It just tells you. No more googling vague descriptions hoping for a match.
Day 10: Trip Planning Made Simple
Try this: "Plan a [X]-day trip to [place] for [who]. We like [interests]. Budget $[amount]."
You get a day-by-day itinerary in under a minute. It won't be perfect, but it's a starting point that would have taken you 3 hours to build yourself.
Day 11: Year-End Reflection
Ask AI: "Give me 10 reflection questions to review my year meaningfully."
Or go deeper: "Ask me questions one at a time about my year and help me see patterns in my answers."
It becomes a thinking partner. No agenda, no judgment, just prompts to help you make sense of 12 months.
Day 12: Goal Setting for the New Year
Spend 10 minutes with AI on your goals: "Help me think through what I want to accomplish in 2026. Ask me questions to get specific."
Let it probe. What matters most? What's been stuck? What would make this year feel successful?
Start Small, Build Confidence
You don't need to transform your life overnight. Pick one tip. Try it today. See what happens.
AI becomes useful when you actually use it. These 12 starting points remove the barrier between curiosity and action.
Want the tips in a downloadable format? Grab the free guide below.