AI is everywhere now. From writing blog posts to helping you brainstorm business names or outline product features, it's tempting to treat tools like ChatGPT or Claude as a sort of super-intelligent assistant. But many non-technical founders quickly run into a wall. They ask a question and get something totally off base. They try again, and it still doesn’t sound right. Before long, they’re frustrated, confused, and wondering if this whole AI thing is overhyped.
If that’s been your experience, you’re not alone. The problem often isn’t your question... and it’s definitely not that you’re “not technical enough.” It’s that you’re dealing with something very powerful that speaks a different language... and no one ever gave you the phrasebook.
Let’s fix that.
What AI Is (And What It Isn’t)
First, let’s clarify something: modern AIs like ChatGPT, Claude, and others aren’t actually thinking. They’re not reasoning in the way a human would. Instead, they’re trained on enormous datasets of human writing. Every time you type a prompt, the AI is playing an incredibly complex word-guessing game — predicting, one word at a time, what’s most likely to come next based on everything it’s seen before.
This is called “next-token prediction.” It’s statistical. The AI doesn’t know the answer, it’s just guessing what’s most likely to sound correct based on patterns. That works surprisingly well for a lot of things, but it also means the AI can sound confident while being totally wrong.
Think of it like this: AI is a brilliant improviser, not a fact-checker. That distinction can help you reset expectations and use it more effectively.
Quick Tips for Talking to an AI
Here are a few ways to get more useful results (and avoid AIrritation):
1. Be specific, not polite.
AI doesn’t need social cues. Instead of saying “Can you help me with a little marketing idea?”, try “Write a short email for a software product that helps restaurant owners save money.”
2. Think like a director.
Imagine the AI is your junior copywriter or intern. You need to give it enough background to get the tone and context right. Don’t be afraid to include details: audience, goal, format, and example phrases all help.
3. If it gets it wrong, redirect, don’t restart.
You can talk to the AI like it’s in a conversation. Say things like: “That’s too formal, can you rewrite it in a casual tone?” or “List five more options but focus on solopreneurs.”
4. Test and refine.
You won’t always get the perfect result on the first try... that’s normal. Try tweaking your prompt. Save what works. This is like learning to Google better, but with full sentences.
5. Don’t assume it knows your business.
Even if the AI sounds smart, it has no real memory of your specific product unless you tell it (or unless your system includes memory features). So start with, “I run a SaaS for small gyms to manage scheduling...” and then ask your question.
6. Ask for formats.
Need a bullet list? A paragraph? A tweet? Ask for it. “Give me three tweet ideas about our new integration with Shopify” will almost always do better than “write something about our Shopify integration.”
7. Watch for hallucinations.
If you’re asking for stats, citations, or anything factual, double-check. AI will make up URLs, statistics, even quotes... not out of malice, just because the next likely word looked right.
8. Use it as a thought partner, not a final answer.
AI can help you brainstorm angles, polish drafts, or simplify ideas. But you still need to apply judgment. Think of it as a helpful assistant, not an oracle.
Closing Thoughts
Using AI effectively isn’t about being a programmer. It’s about learning how to speak to a tool that operates in probabilities, not logic. The better you get at setting context and asking clear, goal-oriented questions, the more powerful the responses become.
And when it gets weird? Just remember it’s playing a word-guessing game... sometimes it rolls a strange combination. That’s not failure, that’s improv. Guide it, shape it, iterate... and you’ll get results that feel almost magical.
If you're building something and want to go deeper... to explore how AI can become part of your product workflows or assist your team without the common pitfalls... schedule a free consultation with Vibe Code Rescue. We help founders and small teams unlock the real power of AI in ways that actually move the needle.
Let AI work for you — not confuse you.
