Do you have AI paralysis? I mean, you know you need to learn some AI tools to stay current, but the market is flooded with options. Keeping up feels impossible.
I’ve been there. I ignored JavaScript frameworks for years, waiting for things to settle. Eventually, I had to learn one or risk being left behind. With AI, the urgency feels even greater - but where do you start?
🛠️ Begin with the basics. No, you don’t need to understand the underlying math any more than you need to know how a car engine works to drive. Start by learning the fundamentals with one of the popular chat interfaces:
- Pick a simple web interface like ChatGPT or Claude and experiment
- Get comfortable with writing effective prompts
- Learn which features matter (and which you can ignore for now)
Then select ONE tool relevant to your work and start using it as an assistant on real projects. Start slowly, ensuring you’re getting value, then gradually increase usage as your confidence grows.
That’s it. Don’t worry about tracking every new development or mastering everything at once. Just start with these two things and build from there. You’ve got this. ❤️
🖥️ As a software engineer, I’m starting to write about AI-assisted development and I’m even following some of my own advice. I use Claude and ChatGPT to help edit my writing and generate ideas. I use Copilot in my editor and I’ve also started using a tool called Aider to assist with debugging and testing. I’m no AI super expert, but I’m steadily improving my skills by focusing on just a few tools for my day to day work.