Lost in the AI minefield? Look no further. Our head of digital, Neil Young, breaks down where to start.

Looking for simple, practical advice to get started with AI? Here are our top tips.

Identify time-consuming tasks   

Start with your weekly to-do list. Which tasks are repetitive and time-consuming? These are prime candidates for AI assistance. Common examples include. 

  • Summarising content  
  • Writing action notes  
  • Generating content ideas  

 Start with one thing  

Don’t try to revolutionise your entire workflow overnight. Pick one task to start with. For example, use ChatGPT or Claude to summarise articles or generate bullet-point summaries of coverage reports.  

Experimenting with AI means embracing the possibility of things not always working out perfectly the first time. Be prepared for some trial and error.   

Experiment with AI tools  

While ChatGPT is well-known, explore other tools that might suit your needs.

  • Claude for longer, more nuanced content  
  • Perplexity.ai for search-powered AI   
  • Otter.ai for transcription and meeting summaries  

We like Claude’s impressive Artifacts workspace, which allows the AI to create standalone pieces of content during conversations, including fully working code.  

Learn how to prompt  

 Effective use of AI often comes down to how well you can instruct it. Here’s a simple formula:  

  • Be clear and specific about your task or question  
  • Provide relevant context and details  
  • Share examples when you need a specific format or style 
  • Specify the desired output structure   

Example: “Analyse the attached report. Summarise the key findings in 5 bullet points. Use clear, non-technical language. Include one data visualisation suggestion for the most significant trend. Explain your choice of this trend.” 

Always review and refine  

This cannot be overstated: AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise – and in some ways, this is the beauty of it. Your industry knowledge and professional judgement are irreplaceable. Always review and refine AI content.  

Measure impact  

Track how AI impacts your workflow. Are you actually saving time? Improving output quality? Use these metrics to refine your AI strategy.

Create a playbook  

When you hit on a winning formula, don’t keep it to yourself. Create a playbook of your successful AI applications:  

  • Record effective prompts that have yielded great results  
  • Note which AI tools work best  
  • Document processes from initial query to final output  

By building a library of successful AI applications, you’re creating a valuable resource that can elevate your entire team’s efforts. 

In conclusion  

By starting small, experimenting thoughtfully, and always applying your professional expertise, you can harness AI to elevate your efforts.  

Remember, the goal is to free up time for high-value tasks: strategic thinking, relationship building, and real-world problem-solving. So jump in, start experimenting, and discover how AI can improve your workflow.   

Need more help?  

We offer AI training here at firstlight. Drop us a line to find out more!