AI for Absolute Beginners: My First Week of Experimenting

Why I'm starting this journey.

Hey! If you found this blog, you're probably like me and want to learn more about AI but you are SO OVERWHELMED by how much there is out there, how much there is to learn about prompts and worried that there are still some gaps that AI can't fill or do quite as well as a human. This is my attempt at detangling how much is out there, how to use it, and what jobs they are best at. So If you want to hang out with me and watch me make an ass of myself sometimes, I'm happy to have you along. (If you're not here for that... sup, I guess?)

Immediately while I started this blog, I thought I'd kill two bird with one stone and use AI to help me create this blog, branding, typography... the whole shebang. My website builder tool, Hostinger, has an AI tool to help create your website by plugging in a prompt, refining, and then editing in your content and Wah-Lah! Except it wasn't. I had no branding, I had no idea of what I wanted a blog to look like, do people even still read blogs? or am I just such a millennial and refusing to get with it? oh god am I already too old to use new tech?... and cue the spiral. I'm betting this is starting to sound familiar to anyone who's tried to start anything substantial with AI. So this is where I decided I needed to document the whole process of actually using AI as much as possible to fill in the gaps I don't know. I had an idea, I just needed it to get out of my head and onto the web.

Ok, so how do I use AI for a blog? Break it into chunks. First chunk, I have no branding. SO I went to chatGPT plugged in a prompt that was something like;

"Help me write a branding plan for a blog that will talk about AI"

and got an output of a few colors, fonts, and suggested images. Ok, cool. we got somewhere. I plugged THAT into the web builder AI and got a super shitty website. I needed it to be "muchier". I went back to chatGPT and adjusted the prompt a bit (complete overhaul) and this time I tried;

"Acting as a branding expert, help me write a branding plan for my new blog idea. I will be talking about learning AI and incorporating these new tools in my everyday life as much as I can. I need to feel modern since we are talking abut tech, but I like neon colors like pink and blue. I want it to feel relatable and easy to read but informative and aspirational for readers to follow along"

This time I got this back;

"Branding Plan for Your AI Optimization Blog

Brand Strategy Overview Position your blog as the ultimate real-life experiment where you explore how AI can transform personal growth, health, and entrepreneurship over one year. By combining an innovative brand identity, engaging storytelling, and audience interactivity, you'll create a compelling platform that stands out in the niche.

1. Position as the "Ultimate AI Experiment"

Core Messaging - Tagline: "One Year, One Life, Powered by AI." -

Value Proposition: Present your journey as a transparent, engaging experiment that both entertains and educates. Show your audience that they can learn from your successes and challenges as they navigate their own AI experiences.

Content Pillars - Journey Documentation: Weekly updates about the impact of AI on your life, including health metrics, business milestones, and personal reflections. - Tool Reviews: Break down the AI tools you're using in simple terms, including their pros, cons, and effectiveness for specific goals. - Actionable Insights: Share step-by-step guides and tips for incorporating AI into everyday life.

Differentiation Tactics - Approach your blog as a relatable “every-person’s” experiment with AI, avoiding the technical jargon that alienates non-experts. - Lean into vulnerability by sharing failures, unexpected outcomes, and the raw truth of your experience, which will resonate with your audience. ---

2. Build a Unique Brand Identity
Visual Identity - Logo: A tech-inspired logo that combines human and technological elements, such as: - A silhouette blending with circuitry or data points. - An abstract icon symbolizing transformation through innovation. - Color Palette: Opt for electric blues, whites, silvers, and subtle neon accents to evoke innovation, transformation, and approachability. - Typography: Use modern, clean sans-serif fonts that align with a forward-thinking tech aesthetic.

Tone of Voice - Maintain a conversational yet insightful tone, speaking directly to your audience in a relatable, non-intimidating way. - Use humor and curiosity to keep the journey approachable and engaging while balancing authority with your learning process.

Brand Imagery - Feature dynamic visuals of you interacting with AI tools in real-time (e.g., screenshots, apps, wearables). - Showcase before-and-after comparisons (e.g., fitness progress, productivity charts) with clean, minimalist graphics to emphasize transformation. ---

3. Involve the Audience in the Experiment

Interactive Engagement - Polls & Surveys: Let followers vote on: - Which AI tools you should try next. - Which life areas you should optimize (e.g., fitness, finances, mindfulness). - Q&A Sessions: Host regular sessions where you answer audience questions about using AI in real life. - User Challenges: Encourage your audience to participate in mini AI challenges alongside you, such as optimizing their morning routine using a specific app.

Content Interactivity - Live Demos: Stream live videos showing how you use AI tools to plan your day, meal prep, set health goals, or brainstorm business ideas. - Engagement Posts: Ask your audience for feedback on what’s working for you and what they want to learn more about.

Transparency & Authenticity - Share behind-the-scenes content to show the highs and lows of your journey. - Post weekly metrics or progress reports that track the tangible results of your AI-driven optimizations."

Yeah... that's what I need! DONE! AMAZING! I am an AI genius, my god I'm so badass!
Now just rinse and repeat. Oh.. OH rinse and repeat. But my prompts are SO rough. ok so how do I fix that? Like very self respecting millennial, I ran to YouTube, and watched a few videos on prompt engineering and found my favorite style. How it works is similar to role playing, you ask the AI engine to act as a professional that you need services for. "Acting like a branding expert...", "Acting as a social media manager..." etc., pretty slick right? now just add color and details that are important to you and BONUS if you don't know what's important to you you can ask AI to ask YOU questions to help you flesh out your idea. SCHWEET.

I still getting the hang of this, and just documenting my process as I go. There is still SO much work to do but we're gunna roll with it and see how accessible it really is to add into daily life. Thanks for hanging out with me!

Now it's your turn! What scares you about AI? What do you wish was easier? Let me know!