As a newcomer to artificial intelligence, I’m excited to explore AI tools and share feedback. I'm also eager to understand AI's origins and applications as I integrate it into my daily life. After being targeted by ads, I decided to watch MasterClass's three-part series "Achieve More with GenAI" to enhance my knowledge beyond commercial products. The series features experts like Ethan Mollick, Allie K. Miller, Don Allen Stevenson III, and Manuel Sansily, who illustrate how AI can improve productivity and creativity while promoting ethical considerations for the future. The first episode introduced the history of AI, dating back to the 1950s, and demonstrated its potential to streamline work. For instance, Mollick showcased AI's capability in enhancing writing processes, while Miller provided a structured approach to utilizing AI for business planning — brainstorming, evaluating, enhancing ideas, implementing, and gathering feedback. This made me rethink using AI for professional feedback, particularly through tools like Yoodli, an AI communication coach. The second episode focused on creative applications, with Stevenson explaining AI prompting techniques and its use in areas like logo design and music generation.

I applied his guidance to create my imagery, realizing the challenge of articulating my thoughts through AI. While I didn't match Stevenson's efficiency, I produced surprisingly effective branding materials. In the final episode, Sansily discussed crafting an "AI twin, " a personalized digital assistant that learns from your interactions to optimize routine tasks. He detailed how to create and refine this AI model, which can help track personal progress and assist others. Mollick concluded the series by exploring the implications of AI growth, emphasizing that its advancement is faster than our ability to comprehend it. This rapid evolution drives my motivation to learn more about various AI applications, while I also experiment with creating my AI twin. Overall, I found the MasterClass GenAI series insightful and recommend it for anyone seeking clarity on AI's role in their lives. The high-quality content and expert presentations made it enjoyable and informative. While subscriptions range from $120 to $240 annually with a money-back guarantee, you could also try it through two-week guest passes. Investing 90 minutes in this series could benefit both tech-savvy individuals and those feeling overwhelmed by evolving AI technology, offering a clearer understanding of how it operates as a system and collaborator.