The CheeseMay on AI

Written By Andrew Bish

A lot of the CheeseMay you may be hearing lately is about AI (Artificial Intelligence), and that’s understandable—it’s a hot topic everywhere. But the real question is: how does it affect you as a consumer? I wanted to understand this better, so I asked a bunch of my friends what they think about AI. The tech-savvy ones who understand it generally support and use AI. Those who are less tech-savvy tend to be wary of it, while there are outliers who either hate or love it just for the sake of having an opinion.

So, I decided to write a blog post on this issue to see if it could help others.

Understanding AI

AI is being integrated into many aspects of life, whether you want it to be or not. Some of the major areas where AI plays a role include:

  • Healthcare: Assisting with diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

  • Finance: Detecting fraudulent transactions and improving risk assessment.

  • Customer Service: Powering chatbots and helping representatives answer common questions.

Even if we know where AI is used, we need a better understanding of how it actually works and where it gets its information. AI operates using different learning models, including:

  • Supervised Learning: AI is trained on labeled datasets. For example, showing AI a series of labeled cat pictures helps it recognize cats in the future.

  • Reinforcement Learning: AI learns through trial and error. For instance, if it detects a wall and runs into it, it will note, "I cannot pass through this wall; I need to go around or find an open path."

You might say, "That sounds like how humans learn!" And to some extent, that's true. However, AI lacks common sense. It processes data based on patterns, whereas humans rely on experience and intuition to make decisions.

How You as a Consumer Can Benefit from AI

Now that we have a basic understanding of AI, it's important to remember that AI is not perfect—it makes mistakes. As long as you recognize this, you can use AI as a tool rather than relying on it completely.

Personally, I find AI to be a helpful tool, but do I trust it fully? No. I use AI to simplify complex topics. For example, if I understand why the sky is blue but struggle to explain it clearly, I might ask AI to help me phrase it for a younger audience. Or if I have a coding issue, I might ask AI why my code isn’t working. I also use AI to proofread things I’ve already written. These tasks involve me providing AI with information, which it then refines or expands upon.

As a consumer, you can use AI in similar ways:

  • Content Creation: Give AI an outline, and it can help you write a book or blog post. It can also correct grammar and spelling.

  • Learning and Skill Development: If you want to learn how to code, you can ask AI for a step-by-step guide. For example, you might say, "I want to learn Python in 30 days, dedicating one hour daily. Can you provide a daily schedule with topics, search terms, and practice projects?"

  • Software Assistance: If you're learning a program like Adobe Photoshop, you can ask AI for guidance on how to use tools or draw. AI can serve as an interactive tutor by answering your questions and helping you troubleshoot issues in real time.

This type of guided learning allows you to test what you’re learning right away, reinforcing your understanding.

How to Search AI for Better Results

When using AI, be specific with your questions.

For example, if you ask, "AI, teach me to code," you’ll get a broad and vague response because AI lacks common sense. Instead, try something like:

"I want to learn Python in 30 days, with one hour of training per day. Can you provide a daily learning schedule, search terms for each topic, and small projects in between to reinforce the material?"

This detailed approach gives AI clear parameters, allowing it to generate a structured and useful response.

Final Thoughts on AI

AI is not perfect, and if you expect it to be, you may be disappointed—or worse, make poor decisions based on its output. For instance, don’t ask AI how to save your marriage or relationship and expect it to provide a perfect, foolproof answer. AI is a tool meant to assist and enhance your life, not replace human judgment.

When used correctly, AI can be a valuable asset, whether for personal growth or business improvements. Like any tool, AI becomes easier to use with practice and understanding.

If you're interested in trying out some of the more common AI tools, here are a few options:

  • ChatGPT (by OpenAI)

  • Gemini (by Google)

  • Copilot (by Microsoft)

Each of these tools has different strengths, so experimenting with them can help you find the best fit for your needs.

Andrew Bish