You’re not behind — you’re on track
Six months ago, I sat at my desk, staring at a headline about ChatGPT, feeling like I’d missed the boat. Everyone on LinkedIn seemed to be experimenting with AI, friends were talking about how they used AI to help them research assignments, throwing around terms I didn’t fully understand. I wasn’t scared, exactly — just… uncertain. Was this something I needed to learn? And if so, how was I supposed to learn it?
If you’ve felt even a flicker of that hesitation, this post is for you.
You’re not alone: most people still feel behind
Despite the buzz, the vast majority of people are still early in their AI journey. Especially those who don’t consider themselves “tech people.” You’re not the only one who feels unsure where to start or feels overwhelmed by the pace of change.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a coder or a tech expert to build AI confidence. You just need curiosity and the willingness to experiment.
Why now is the perfect time to begin
There’s a myth floating around that if you haven’t already jumped on the AI bandwagon, you’ve missed your chance.
Not true. Here’s why:
We’re still early: AI tools are still evolving — and so are the skills needed to use them.
AI is getting easier to use: You no longer need to understand how AI works under the hood. Many tools have friendly interfaces that feel like using Google or Word.
Employers are catching up too: Companies are just beginning to think seriously about how AI fits into their workflows. Now is your chance to get ahead — or at least, catch up comfortably.
AI confidence is not yet widespread. If you start now, even with just a little knowledge, you’ll be ahead of most.
What “AI confidence” actually looks like
Let’s be clear: AI confidence is not about becoming a machine learning engineer. Nor is it about mastering algorithms or building your own chatbot from scratch. It’s about knowing how to use ChatGPT to rewrite an email or brainstorm ideas, using tools like Claude or Perplexity to speed up research, and automating parts of your admin with AI-based summarisation or calendar assistants. It also means understanding when AI is genuinely helpful and when it’s not.
It’s not about knowing everything. It’s about knowing just enough to feel empowered, not overwhelmed.
Start small: you don’t have to learn everything at once
If you’re unsure where to begin, keep it simple.
Pick one task you already do and explore whether AI can help. Maybe it’s summarising a meeting, planning a workshop or rewriting some content. Tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot are surprisingly easy to use — talk to them like a colleague, not a computer.
And if you’d rather not sift through all the noise alone? Stick with this newsletter. I’ll keep sharing beginner-friendly tools, use cases and ideas that make sense for real people doing real work.
AI confidence builds through use — not all at once, but little by little.
You’ve done this before, even if it doesn’t feel like it
Think back for a moment. You’ve already adapted to new technologies before, often without even realising it. When smartphones first entered your life, they may have seemed complicated, but you gradually learned how to navigate apps, manage settings and use them to simplify everyday tasks. When the world suddenly shifted online, you learned how to use Zoom — not just to join meetings, but to share screens, manage chats and communicate effectively in a completely new environment. At work, you’ve likely encountered unfamiliar systems, platforms or databases and figured out how to use them because you had to — and you did! Learning AI is no different. It may feel unfamiliar now, but it is simply the next wave of digital tools. You’ve built these kinds of skills before, and you’re more capable than you might think.
Confidence isn’t a destination — it’s built along the way
Start exploring, ask weird questions — AI Sally won’t judge
The people who seem confident with AI didn’t get there overnight. They started by pressing a few buttons, trying a few prompts and seeing what happened. The best time to build AI confidence isn’t “someday when I have time.” It’s now, while tools are still maturing, while others are still figuring it out too, and while your small steps can create real momentum.
You don’t need to master AI — you just need to get curious.
This path was made for real people, not tech geniuses
Want more like this?
Stick around. AI Sally is here to help you get confident with AI — no jargon, no hype, just practical tips for professionals who don’t think of themselves as ‘tech people.’ So go forth and click around, make mistakes. AI Sally’s here to help you fake it ‘til you make it.
Know someone who’s on the same path? Send this newsletter their way.