The AI That Knows Better Than You Do

I’ve often had mental challenges when I find myself in a tech situation over my head. I tend to get nervous, slow down, and get my foundation correct before moving on. I put on my Engineer hat.

That’s exactly how I felt recently while working through a complex data management problem. I was using Claude to help structure the solution, but I was stuck in my own head, focused only on what I thought I wanted. I was driving the conversation, and it was showing.

So, I tried something different. I stopped giving orders and started having a conversation. I typed:

“BTW as we go through this process, suggest any ideas on how to simplify, secure, or enhance our process; don’t just focus on what I think I want, because I don’t really know for sure.”

The response was perfect. It didn’t just execute my next command. It stopped and said:

“Before we continue, I want to suggest a better approach than what I was originally planning. Let me explain the trade-offs:”

It then laid out the path it was suggesting, contrasted the two options for pros and cons, and made a recommendation. In this case, it told me, “You’re at the transition point where investing 20 minutes now saves you hours later.”

That’s exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for. And it wasn’t magic. It was just a shift in how I asked.

Ask an AI How to Ask an AI

One thing I say often is to Ask an AI how to Ask an AI. Have a chat with your favorite AI and discuss this in detail. I bet you get some ideas.

I often start with a vague idea of something, and that’s enough to start a conversation. It took me a while to internalize that the AI is not judging me. I should worry less about how we interact and more about getting the conversation going. You’ll get to a good outcome faster if you let the AI help you find it.

But there’s a deeper lever most people miss. Look at the Settings page of your AI. There is usually a place to tell it things to remember. That can be your skillset or expertise, but it can also tell the AI what tone to use in every chat you do.

Want your AI to be more snarky? (I do like this.) Put it in that saved profile info. Want more direct and less cushy answers? Say so. It really affects the quality of the responses I get, because the response matches more closely how my head works.

The Slop Block

This isn’t just about tone. It’s about precision. OpenAI recently shared prompting tips for GPT-6 Astra, including a blocklist of “slop words.” These are the vague, filler terms that make AI output generic and unhelpful. When you know what to avoid, you start asking better questions.

I had GPT summarize a recent podcast because, well, why not? The conversation framed AI as both a massive disruptor and a historic opportunity, comparable to the shift from the agricultural to industrial age—but happening much faster. The speakers highlighted real risks: widespread job displacement, rapid adoption, and even a potential financial bubble.

But they also argued that disruption doesn’t eliminate work—it reshapes it. Like past technological shifts, AI may destroy certain jobs but create entirely new categories, often smaller, more niche, and more entrepreneurial. The safest path forward is adopting an entrepreneurial mindset. This includes learning how to identify opportunities, validate ideas quickly, build and test products cheaply, and adapt continuously.

As content, software, and knowledge become commoditized, the advantage moves toward lived experience, relationships, community, and real-world interaction. Human connection, storytelling, and authenticity are positioned as irreplaceable assets.

What This Means for Your Business

You don’t need to be a prompt engineer. You need to be a better conversationalist.

When you treat AI as a junior partner who needs context, tone, and guardrails, you get better results. When you treat it as a search engine, you get noise.

Here’s what to do next:

• Set your profile. Go into your AI’s settings today. Tell it who you are, what you care about, and how you want it to talk to you. It changes everything.
• Ask for trade-offs. Don’t just ask for a solution. Ask for the pros, cons, and alternatives. Let the AI challenge your assumptions.
• Avoid the slop. Be specific. Avoid vague filler words. The better your input, the less generic the output.
• Lean into the human stuff. AI can generate content, but it can’t build community or trust. Use the time you save to focus on relationships and strategy.

It’s not about knowing everything. It’s about knowing how to start the conversation.

WWMLD? 😂😂

I’ve been saying this for a while. This piece was pulled together by AI from 5 of my social media posts (11/2025 - 09/2026) and polished for Cairoglyphics.ai.