The response to Issue #1 completely overwhelmed me. Thank you for being here, for subscribing, for the kind words, and for sharing your ideas & feedback.

Something had been percolating in me for a long time. It took on different shapes and forms but always led back to the same place. A creative outlet. A way to give back. A community coming together. And here we are.

In French there is a saying: "Il faut commencer par commencer." You have to start, by starting. Not by thinking about it. Not by waiting until you feel ready. By doing.

That is the foundation of this newsletter. And it is my nudge to you too. If you have not downloaded Claude or ChatGPT yet, or if you have been putting it off for whatever reason, pick a date this week and go. You do not need to be ready. You just need to start.

Now that you have started, let's make sure you are doing it right. This issue is about going deeper. Knowing what not to share, setting up your tools properly, and getting real results. Let's go!

Being good at AI is not just about knowing the right prompts. It is also about knowing what not to share. Before you type anything personal into an AI tool, ask yourself one question: how would I feel if this information ended up on a TikTok or Instagram post? If that thought makes you uncomfortable, do not share it.

This week, Mel Robbins, popular podcaster and author of The Let Them Theory, got some backlash for a post where she shared a prompt to help her followers take control of their money. The prompt itself was not bad. Using AI to think through your finances can be really useful. The issue is that the prompt encouraged people to upload bank statements, income documents, and debt info directly into the tool. And most people did not think twice about it.

When you upload sensitive documents to an AI tool, you are handing over your most personal information without necessarily knowing where it goes or who can access it. This is especially true on a free plan.

Here is what you should never upload or type into an AI tool:

Bank statements and account numbers. Tax returns or income documents. Debt statements. Your SIN or social insurance number. Passport, government ID, or photos of your ID. Medical records. Passwords or PINs. Photos of yourself or your children.

You do not need any of that to get real help. A simple rule: share the situation, not the document. Working on your CV? Let AI help you write it, then add your email, phone number, and address yourself at the end.

This is where free vs paid actually matters. On free plans, model training is on by default. That means what you type could be used to train the next version of the tool. Think of it this way. Every time you have a conversation with a free AI tool, that exchange could become part of the material the AI learns from to get smarter. Like a student reading your notebook to study for an exam. On paid plans that is generally turned off.

If you already shared something you should not have, here is exactly what to do:

Meet Gen, one of our community readers. She is turning 40 this year and is planning a trip to Italy with a friend. She has never been. She does not know where to start. So she does what most of us do in AI tools: she types "best places to visit in Italy."

It is a great starting point, but you’re using it like a Google search; these tools are so much more than that.

This is where a Project changes everything.

A Project gives your AI a dedicated space for one thing you are working on. You set it up once, tell it what it needs to know, and every time you come back, it picks up right where you left off. Think of it like your Italy planning group chat.

Here is the prompt Gen used to kick off her Project:

Once her Project was live, Gen went into the instructions field and added the details that would shape every answer from that point on: her budget, the fact that the group prefers boutique hotels, their travel pace, and that someone has a shellfish allergy. She also uploaded a few screenshots from her Italy Pinterest board, so her AI could get a feel for the vibe she was going for.

As decisions got made, she logged them in the Project. Hotel booked in Rome. Budget updated. Still looking for a cooking class in Naples. Her AI always knew where things stood.

And when it was time to bring the rest of the group in, she shared the Project with her travel crew. Everyone working from the same page. No more "wait, what did we decide about the Amalfi day?"

Your version does not have to be Italy. It could be your road trip to the Laurentians. Your summer in California. Your job search. Your home renovation this fall. Pick one thing you are working on right now and build a Project around it tonight.

Here is exactly how to set it up, step by step, with screenshots:

Reese Witherspoon is going viral for talking about AI

Reese Witherspoon posted a reel this week, encouraging women to start learning AI tools. Some loved it. Some pushed back. Either way, it got people talking, which is exactly the point.

Read it here: Hollywood Reporter

Stanford says AI is saving people serious time at home

Researchers at Stanford found that people using AI for everyday home tasks are saving anywhere from 76 to 176 percent more time. We are talking meal planning, managing schedules, drafting messages, researching decisions.

The takeaway for you: this is not just a work tool. The time you save on the small stuff adds up fast. If you set up even one Project this week for something on your personal to-do list, you will feel it.

Read it here: Stanford Report

We loved this use case from The Rundown AI newsletter this week and had to share it.

Shubham, an editor on their team, uses ChatGPT as a label-reading filter at the grocery store. He photographs packaged snacks and asks them to flag hidden sugars, questionable oils, and preservatives. It then compares options against his personal checklist of clean ingredients and decent macros. His favourite part: it decodes the jargon on the back of the label. Things like INS numbers, stabilizers, and emulsifiers get translated into plain English, so he actually knows what he is eating. No more trusting "multigrain" or "sugar-free" on the front of the pack.

Honestly, try this the next time you are standing in the cereal aisle!

Read the full Rundown Roundtable here: The Rundown AI

Now we want to hear from you.

How did you use AI this week? At work, at home, for something you never thought to try? Hit reply and tell us. The best stories will be featured right here in a future issue.

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