11 lessons from a year of using AI in my daily work

The author shares their experiences integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into daily work. Large context windows significantly improve efficiency by allowing sustained project conversations. Text-based tasks benefit greatly from AI, but image and video generation requires substantial manual refinement. Clear communication is crucial for effective AI interaction, mirroring human-to-human communication. An English-first approach yields superior results even for non-English final outputs. AI dramatically accelerates research, despite inherent biases, leading to faster idea generation. AI-assisted prototyping ("vibe coding") is valuable for learning but not yet production-ready. High-quality input consistently yields superior AI outputs; vague prompts result in poor results. Underlying AI technology remains relatively unchanged despite frequent hype cycles, emphasizing fundamental skill development. Voice interaction with AI is increasingly prevalent, but current chat interfaces present limitations hindering optimal use. The author emphasizes the importance of maintaining mental sharpness to avoid over-reliance on AI and the potential loss of core skills.