Getting started with AI : where to begin to use ChatGPT and Claude well
No need to be an expert or pay to try it out. Here's how to choose your tool, write good prompts, and stay in control, explained for total beginners.
Idriss Laouali
Co-founder of Karatou Academy
Learn to use AI in your work.
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Illustration credit: Karatou Academy / Generative AI
Last week, I sent my uncle a short presentation on AI. His first reaction was a simple question: "Do you need a subscription to access AI? And what are the main sites?"
Those are exactly the right questions. If you're just starting out, you're probably asking yourself the same thing.
So I took his questions and turned them into this guide. By the end, you'll know which tool to open, how to talk to it, and how to use it without putting yourself at risk. No jargon. Straight to the point.
What is AI, in one minute
Generative AI is a program that produces text, images, or analysis from a simple written instruction. You talk to it like a person, and it answers you.
Think of it as a copilot. It helps you move faster, rough out a piece of work, explore ideas. But you're the pilot. You keep control of the decisions.
That's it. The rest is practice.
Do you need to pay? The short answer
No, not to get started.
All the major tools have a free version. That's plenty to discover, test, and form an opinion. Start there.
The subscription, often around $20 a month, mainly gets you two things: better answer quality, and heavy use without hitting limits. If you use AI every day for work, it quickly pays off. Otherwise, the free version does the job.
One tip: try the free version for a week or two. You'll quickly know if the subscription is worth it for you.
Free version
$0
- Plenty to get started
- Limits on volume and models
Pro version
~$20/month
- Better answer quality
- Access to the top-performing models
- Ideal for reports, meeting notes, tenders
Pricing and plans change often. Check the current price on the tool's official website.
Which tools should you use? The two to know
There are several. The two most used today are ChatGPT and Claude.ai.
ChatGPT (from OpenAI) is the best known and most general-purpose. Very good for exploring, brainstorming, learning, and asking all kinds of questions.
Claude.ai (from Anthropic) often gives better results on long, structured texts. For writing a report, meeting notes, a tender submission, or a resume, it's my pick.
There's also Gemini (from Google), very widespread and well integrated with Google's tools.
You don't have to pick a side. Open both main ones, give them the same request, and keep whichever answer you like best.
ChatGPT or Claude: which one to choose?
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
- Very versatile
- Great for exploring, brainstorming, learning
- The best known, large community
Claude.ai (Anthropic)
- Better at long, structured texts
- Reports, meeting notes, tenders, resumes
- Nuanced, polished answers
Your first prompt: the simple method
A "prompt" is just the instruction you write to the AI. The quality of the answer depends on the quality of your request.
To get started, remember four letters: RCTF.
R — Role
Tell the AI what role to play. Ex: You are a senior consultant.
C — Context
Give the useful info. Ex: Team meeting, 1 hour, here are my notes...
T — Task
State clearly what you want. Ex: Write up meeting notes.
F — Format
Specify the expected format. Ex: One page, clear headings, professional tone.
The more precise your prompt, the better the answer.
Put together, that makes a real request, and a genuinely useful answer. The more precise, the better. If the first answer isn't perfect, ask for a revision. It's a conversation.
5 ways to use it starting this week
Here are the most common use cases among the professionals I train. They're also the ones my uncle, a consultant, mentioned to me.
Write a report
Turn your raw notes into a clear, structured report.
Prepare meeting notes
Give it your notes, get clean notes and follow-up actions.
Put together a tender submission
Structure your response, save time on repetitive sections.
Improve a resume
Rephrase your experience, tailor the resume to a specific posting.
Write a professional email
A clear draft in seconds, yours to fine-tune.
For this type of task, Claude.ai Pro performs best. In fact, I trained UN officials on these very use cases over the last two weeks.
Using AI responsibly: 4 rules
AI is powerful. But it's not magic, and it's not always right. Keep these four rules in mind.
Always double-check
AI can be confidently wrong. Reread and cross-check before sending.
Protect your data
Never paste confidential or sensitive information (client data, contracts, personal data).
Keep your judgment
AI suggests, you decide. The final responsibility is still yours.
Own it and adapt it
AI's text is a starting point, not a finished product. Add your voice.
Where to start, concretely
Three actions for this week, no more.
- 1Open a free version of ChatGPT and Claude.ai.
- 2Take a real task from your work (an email, meeting notes) and write your request using the RCTF method.
- 3Compare the two answers, pick the one you like, and adjust it to your taste.
That's it. You learn by doing, not by reading dozens of articles. The best time to start is now.
The questions everyone asks at the start
PS: AI can hallucinate. Always check what it generates.
Idriss Laouali
Co-founder of Karatou Academy, Senior Product Manager. Idriss trains professionals and organizations in Africa in the practical use of AI at work. He recently trained UN officials on these same use cases. Future Skills program funded by the US Embassy.