How to start using AI with something that interests you

Start with your curiosity

My recommendation for getting started with artificial intelligence is to choose something that interests you and ask it to help you explore it. It could be cooking, snakes, guitar, or how galaxies form. Tell it what you know, how you want to learn, and try out its responses. Then you can explore how to save what you learn or receive it regularly in a tool you already use.

I work with AI to build digital products, but I also use it to learn, stay informed, and reflect. These everyday uses are what I want to share here: experiences you can adapt to your own interests, without needing technical knowledge.

An instructor I can ask questions as I learn

I have always learned a lot as I go. When I need to understand something, I look up how to do it and put it into practice. I used to rely mainly on tutorials, videos, courses, and web searches.

Now I also create instructors in Claude or ChatGPT. I give them instructions about the subject and how I need things explained. I can return to them when a question comes up, ask for an example, or request a simpler step-by-step explanation.

Once, while working on a project, I came across a concept I did not understand. That question kept me from moving forward: I did not know how to respond to the agent helping me, either. I consulted my mentor, understood the context, and was able to get back to the task.

The same approach can work for other interests. A first request might be:

I want to learn about stars. I know little about the subject. Act as my instructor and start with a simple explanation. Define new words, use examples, and leave room for me to ask questions before moving on.

From there, the conversation can follow whatever sparks your curiosity. You can ask for a different explanation, connect it to what you already know, or suggest a small activity to practice.

I also have a Chinese language instructor. I have not used it much, so I still need to put it into practice more. Creating the instructor is a start; giving it my attention is still up to me.

A philosophy letter to pause and think

One of my favorite personal uses is a philosophy teacher I set up in Claude Cowork. It has a scheduled task to deliver a daily letter about an idea, a moment, or a philosopher.

The letters invite me to reflect and develop more critical thinking.

The agent also records them in a Notion table with their delivery date. There I can mark the ones I have read and look up previous letters.

This helps when I do not have time to read a letter as soon as it arrives. It is saved somewhere I can return to, like a book that grows with each delivery.

Receiving information about what interests me

I also schedule tasks to receive AI news, topics related to my work, and updates on competitors or the niches I work in.

Before, I had to search and consult different sources. Now I receive a selection prepared for me. I ask it to include the sources it consulted so I can check where the information comes from and assess whether it is trustworthy.

You can try something similar with a subject that interests you. For example:

Prepare a weekly delivery to help me learn how galaxies form. Explain one concept per delivery in simple language and include the sources you consulted so I can review them.

Scheduling depends on the features available in the tool you use. If you do not have that option yet, you can start with a conversation and return whenever you want to continue.

My deliveries are currently daily, but I am thinking about reducing their frequency. Because of time constraints, I am not reviewing them as carefully as I would like. Frequency is also part of the experiment: I want to find a pace I can make use of.

Taking what you learn somewhere you can use it

One experiment I recommend is connecting AI with another tool that is already part of your day.

You can explore receiving information by email, saving it in your notes app, documenting it in Google Docs, or turning it into a presentation. What is possible depends on each service’s connections and features.

In my case, I moved some deliveries from email to Notion. There I can keep them, mark what I have read, and return later. I can also organize the content or highlight what matters most to me.

Someone else might prefer email. The useful part is finding a destination where that information makes sense for you.

Adjusting is also part of using AI

The first deliveries do not always arrive in the form I need. Some of mine had a format that was harder to understand, so I asked for something simpler. I have also changed the connected tools, and now I am reconsidering the frequency.

You can do the same with specific instructions:

• “Explain it in simpler words.”
• “Give me an example before going deeper.”
• “Reduce the amount of information in each delivery.”
• “Include the sources you consulted.”
• “Let’s change the frequency so I can keep up.”

I use different tools, including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Manus. I have experimented more with some than with others. My approach to working with AI is to try things, observe what works for me, and adjust.

Also tell it what not to do

One important lesson from creating my instructors was to include what I want them to avoid. Besides explaining their task and adjusting their responses, I find it useful to clarify what they should not do.

For my mentor, for example, I asked it not to assume I know all the jargon, not to overwhelm me with too much information, and not to validate my decisions just to please me. I want to understand and develop my judgment, so I also need it to question a proposal when it finds reasons to do so.

For an instructor on any other subject, you can start with simple boundaries:

Do not use specialized terms without explaining them. Do not move on to more complex subjects until I understand the basics. If you are unsure of a fact, say so instead of inventing an answer.

These instructions help guide the experience. I then keep observing the responses and adjusting both what I ask it to do and what I ask it to avoid.

What would you like to learn?

If you want to get started, choose something you are curious about and give it a try. Tell the AI what you want to learn, what you know, and how you would like it to support you. Also tell it what to avoid. Then talk, ask questions, and adjust.

When you find something useful, explore how to bring it into your day: save it in your notes, practice with it, or receive a regular delivery at a pace you can enjoy.

I am still experimenting. I have instructors I use often and others, like the Chinese language instructor, that I still need to make time for. Each experiment helps me discover what place AI can have in my life.

What subject would you choose for your first instructor?