What "AI" really means here
When people say "AI" today they usually mean a chat assistant — you type a question or request in plain English, and it writes back an answer. You don't need any technical skill. If you can send a text message, you can use it.
The three big ones (all free to start)
- ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) — the most popular all-rounder. Great for everyday questions, writing, and brainstorming.
- Claude (claude.ai) — excellent for writing, long documents, and careful step-by-step reasoning.
- Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) — handy if you already live in Gmail, Docs, and Google Search.
All three have a free version. You sign up with an email and start typing.
How to get good answers
- Be specific. Instead of "write an email," try "write a short, friendly email to a customer apologizing for a late delivery and offering 10% off."
- Give it context. Tell it who you are and who the answer is for.
- Ask for a format. "Give me 5 bullet points," "keep it under 100 words," "make it sound casual."
- Refine. If the first answer isn't right, just say what to change — it remembers the conversation.
A few safety basics
- Don't paste passwords, card numbers, or private client data into public AI tools.
- AI can be confidently wrong — double-check facts, names, and numbers.
- Treat it as a fast first draft, not the final word.
Your next step
Once you're comfortable, read Run AI on Your Own Computer to use AI privately and for free, and Which AI Model Should You Use? to pick the best one for each job.