You're probably using AI wrong — and it's not your fault.
Nobody teaches you how to talk to AI. So you type something vague, get something useless, and quietly conclude that all the hype was overblown. But here's what the power users know that you don't: AI isn't a magic 8-ball you shake and hope for the best. It's a tool — and like any tool, results depend entirely on how you use it.
Most people try AI once or twice and walk away unimpressed. They ask something like: “Write an email.” The result is bland, generic, and robotic. Then they assume AI just isn’t that good.
But the real secret is this: AI responds directly to how you ask the question.
The difference between mediocre results and amazing results often comes down to something called prompt engineering.
Today we’re going to learn exactly what that means — and how you can use it right now.
AI TOOLS
🌎 The LLM Big 3: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT…
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini…these tools are called Large Language Models, and they work by predicting the most likely next word in a sequence based on enormous training data.
But they don’t “think” the way humans do. Instead, they respond to instructions.
That means the quality of the instruction matters - a lot.
The instruction you give the AI is called a prompt.
AI VOCAB
Prompting - Just Do It. Again. And Again. And Again…
A prompt is the input you give an AI system — the instructions, question, or context that tells it what you want it to do.
Think of a prompt as steering the AI. The clearer and more specific your prompt is, the more accurately the AI can guide its response toward the result you’re looking for.
AI models don’t read your mind — they rely entirely on the information you provide in the prompt to determine how to respond.
And that’s why two people using the same AI tool can get completely different results depending on how they ask the question.
Let’s see how…
APPLYING WHAT WE LEARN
Human - Take the Wheel! The Five Dials
Five things you can adjust when the answer misses the mark
Think of these as five dials. When something's off, one of these is usually why. Identify it, communicate it to the AI with a series of prompts, and watch the output change.
The Five Dials
There’s this idea that you either “get” AI… or you don’t. That you’re either deep in it, speaking in prompts and models and systems… or you’ve checked out completely. But there’s a huge group in the middle.
People who are curious. Capable. Paying attention. They just haven’t been shown how to work with it in a way that feels human. That’s where this comes in.
Think of AI less like a machine you have to conquer… and more like something you learn to adjust.
Like flying — you’re not forcing the aircraft. You’re making small, intentional corrections to stay on course. These are your dials.
1 — Temperature — the tone is off
Too stiff? Too casual? Sounds like a press release when you needed a text message?
This is the most common miss—and the fastest fix.
Just tell it.
The FIX:
“That’s way too formal — rewrite it like I’m talking to a friend.”
“Loosen it up, this is for my team, not a board meeting.”
“It sounds robotic. Give it some warmth.”
2 — Point of View — whose voice is this, and who’s reading it?
AI defaults to neutral because it doesn’t know you.
You have to define both sides:
who’s speaking, and who it’s for.
The FIX:
“Write this from the perspective of a mom talking to other moms.”
“The audience is my coworkers — make it warmer.”
“This is me talking. I’m direct. I don’t hedge.”
This is where things start to feel like you.
3 — Length — too much or not enough
AI loves to overdo it. Or under deliver.
You’re allowed to correct that.
The FIX:
“Cut this in half — keep only what matters.”
“This is too short, expand the second point.”
“Give me three sentences, not three paragraphs.”
Clarity almost always lives on the other side of editing.
4 — Specificity — vague is useless
If the output feels generic, it’s because the input was.
Details are everything.
The FIX:
“Stop being vague — here are the actual details:”
“Use the fact that I’ve been doing this for 14 years.”
“Include that we raised $40k at last year’s event.”
This is where AI stops sounding like AI and starts sounding like your actual life.
5 — Direction — keep what works, replace what doesn’t
This is the one most people miss.
You don’t need to start over every time.
You can guide it.
Adjust it.
Refine it.
The FIX:
“The structure is good but the opening is weak — give me five new options.”
“Keep everything after paragraph two, rewrite the beginning.”
“Lose the bullet points, I want this to flow.”
Small corrections. Better outcome.
Just like flying—
you don’t jerk the controls.
You make steady, intentional adjustments
until everything lines up.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Don’t aim to prompt perfectly. Aim to steer consistently.
You don’t need a perfect prompt.
You don’t need to be “technical.”
You just need to stay in it long enough to steer.
That’s how you learn this.
Not by watching from the sidelines.
Not by being an expert.
But by being willing to sit in that middle space—
the place most people overlook—
and realizing:
You were always capable of this.
HUMAN CONNECTION
Is it Me or Is it AI?
Your Instincts are the Real "Intelligence"
There's a lot of noise right now about AI replacing human creativity. But think about what actually happens when you use it well. You bring the context. You bring the goal. You bring the judgment to know when the output is right and when it needs another pass.
The AI is a powerful engine — but you're the one driving. Every good prompt you write is a small act of creative direction, whether you realize it or not.
That cover letter that landed you the interview? You shaped every word of it. That email that finally got a response? That was your instinct about tone and timing. The speech that moved the room?
You knew what needed to be said — AI just helped you say it better. The best things you'll ever create with AI will still be unmistakably yours. Without you steering it, AI is just a very powerful tool sitting in neutral.
WORTH EXPLORING
Our Favorite Non-Hype Resources
To Understand the "Why": AI For Everyone — A non-technical look at how AI actually works, taught by the legend Andrew Ng.
To See the Future: Ben’s Bites — A daily 3-minute read on the latest AI tools and news, minus the "end of the world" fluff.
To Play it Safe: NIST’s AI Framework — The gold standard for understanding AI ethics and how to use these tools responsibly in a professional setting.
Want to practice your new "5 Dial" skills? Try them out on our interactive playground: 👉 AiMastery.com
You now know something most people don't. So go use it. And if you try something this week and it blows your mind — or completely flops — hit reply and tell me about it! The best part of this newsletter is the people reading it, and I'd love to hear from you.
Until next week…
P.S. If you were forwarded this newsletter and you’d like to receive it in your mailbox, subscribe here:
Adrineh, Founder, AiMastery
