#015: The Mental Models I Use to Work With AI

Hi. I’m back from my summer break that I spent traveling and tinkering. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.This week, I wanted to do something a bit different. Instead of deep diving into one specific idea, I’m going wide and putting together a list of my favorite mental models that guide the way I work with and understand AI. The world of AI is opaque - both the models themselves and the rapidly evolving industry around them. Mental models are a way to map the territory so you can find your way through.Most of these models took shape in my own head through trial and error. Others I stole from my favorite people. Some are new while others are references to ideas I’ve explored in detail previously. All of them earned a place in my carefully curated toolbox that I use to get the most out of AI and to understand the discourse around it.Organizational note - I start with more practical mental models that will help you get better outputs when working with AI agents. As you go…