You have no idea how to use AI!

You’re right. Most people don’t.

They mistake AI for a vending machine: insert a prompt, get something vaguely useful, call it “magic.” It’s not. It’s a mirror. A scalpel. Sometimes a dumb intern.

But if you don’t know what you’re asking… if you can’t tell GPT-4 from a glorified autocomplete… you’re not using a tool. You’re just spinning a slot machine and hoping for smartness.

Let’s call it:

You don’t need AI tools. You need AI understanding.
Because without it, here’s what happens:

• You end up copy-pasting cliché content and wondering why no one reads it.
• You write “thought leadership” that sounds like corporate oatmeal.
• You chase prompts instead of building frameworks.

AI won’t write better for you. You write better with it — when you think in systems, feed it seeds, and wield your own voice like a blade.

So yeah — if you don’t know how to use AI, good. You just realized you’re not late… you’re early. Now you’ve got a reason to learn.

This game isn’t about having the tech. It’s about having the taste.

Want help shaping the skillset behind the tool? Or want your next post to punch the way real founders think and talk?

Let’s flip the switch.

How to Actually Use AI (the Right Way)

1. Don’t prompt. Architect.
The average user says: “Write me a blog post about startups.”
You say: “Here’s the structure, persona, tone, and what I hate in every piece on this topic. Punch holes in the clichés. Use my voice, not a press release.”
→ AI responds to constraints. Give it bones, not vibes.

2. Feed it your brain, not generic briefs.
You wouldn’t expect a ghostwriter to guess your convictions. Why would you let ChatGPT?
Each effective piece = 60% upfront clarity from you → voice samples, past posts, unfinished rants, idea napkins. Load the rifle before you pull the trigger.
→ Things to give it: frameworks, samples, moodboards, LinkedIn post history, half-written drafts, even DMs you’ve sent with fire lines.

3. Treat it like a collaborator, not a magician.
Say: “Here’s my messy thinking” → Ask: “What’s the counterpoint, the blind spot, the explosive opening line?”
Say: “This reads soft. Diagnose it.”
Say: “Rewrite this Hubspot BS like Paul O’Brien on espresso with a grudge.”

Don’t expect answers. Expect editing. Challenge. Honesty. Iteration.

4. Use roles, not prompts.
Default AI = diplomat. No edge, all pleasing.
But say this:

“You’re a startup writing coach with no patience for investor delusions and LinkedIn fluff. Your job is to tell me when I sound fake, soft, or buzzwordy.”
Now you’re not talking to AI — you’re talking to someone useful. (Because you built them.)

5. Postproduction: Always. Manipulate Tone → Structure → Rhythm.
Even the best output needs post-editing. Chop the intro? Punch up verbs? Swap clichés? Use a human brain.
→ Think of AI’s draft as raw marble. Your job is run a chisel through it.
Want complete automation? Cool. Expect mediocrity.

TL;DR – If You Actually Want to Win with AI:

• Build structured context, not just prompts
• Feed it your thinking trails, not vague blogs
• Assign it roles: editor, contrarian, ghostwriter, interviewer
• Always bring post-prod firepower
• Make sure it sounds like someone with a spine — ideally you

Want me to help you build out your AI writing loop for your content machine — from tone controls to posts that crack ribs? I’m strapped in.

Ready when you are.

Written in collaboration with GHOSTWRITER — because AI that doesn’t challenge you is just spellcheck with better branding.