Which AI Tools and Models Should You Use?
There is no single best AI tool for all use cases. How to match the tool to the job, when to reach for a more capable model, and why using more than one tool makes you harder to fool.
Read on SubstackI write under the name The Red Giant. The name is partly personal - Rufus means red-haired and I'm very tall - and it's also a metaphor for AI. A red giant is a star that has swelled and expanded dramatically, and that feels an appropriate way to describe AI: something expanding to touch almost every part of our lives.
Some of my articles are intended as practical advice, giving tips on how to use AI more effectively, how to build confidence with it, and how to make it more useful in your day-to-day work. Other pieces are broader and explore the impacts of AI. I write about what AI means for education and the future of work, and the bigger questions that come with that, for individuals, for organisations and for society.
If any of my articles resonates with you, or you have any suggestions for a topic I should be writing about, I'd love to hear from you.
If you're new, these are the best places to begin.
A first look at the scale of the shift AI represents, and the thinking behind this newsletter.
Read on SubstackWhy understanding AI is quickly becoming a baseline skill for modern work.
Read on SubstackPractical pieces on getting better results and making AI useful in real workflows.
There is no single best AI tool for all use cases. How to match the tool to the job, when to reach for a more capable model, and why using more than one tool makes you harder to fool.
Read on SubstackA practical technique for improving results by asking AI to respond from a defined perspective.
Read on SubstackWhat can go wrong in AI outputs, and why you need to actively check and challenge them.
Read on SubstackA simple guide to getting better outputs by giving clearer instructions and context.
Read on SubstackWhy many people are not yet seeing major productivity gains, and what tends to get in the way.
Read on SubstackWhat AI changes about work, decisions, and responsibility.
AI is almost certainly already being used in your organisation without authorisation. Why banning it drives the problem underground, and what good governance looks like instead.
Read on SubstackSeven ways AI can go wrong in an organisation, and why safety is a leadership and governance responsibility, not just a technical one.
Read on SubstackWhen AI makes production fast and cheap, the constraint shifts to knowing what is good. How to design oversight that scales without becoming unmanageable.
Read on SubstackAs production becomes faster and cheaper, the constraint moves to deciding what matters and what to act on.
Read on SubstackA balanced look at how AI is reshaping work, and where human value is likely to remain.
Read on SubstackHow AI is changing education, and why adaptation needs careful thought rather than quick fixes.
Read on SubstackCurious about AI, or thinking about how your organisation should be approaching it?
I'm always open to a conversation, whether that's a speaking enquiry, a workshop discussion, or just an exchange of ideas.
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