A year ago, I half jokingly proposed that “If you’re not using AI 20 times a day, you’re probably doing your job wrong.”
In multiple instances over the past month, we’ve seen that prediction become official corporate policy.
Companies like IBM, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Fiverr, and most publicly, Shopify are making AI usage mandatory. In a leaked internal memo, Shopify stated that “Reflexive AI usage is now a baseline expectation” and will be part of performance reviews.
And yet, many professionals still aren’t using AI regularly. Why? Because despite all the hype using AI well isn’t always obvious.
At a recent event on AI in HR, someone admitted to me they felt behind and didn’t even know where to begin. So I gave them two starting points:
1. Set an “AI Step Count”
Think of it like your Fitbit goal, but for your brain. Try to use tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or Gemini 20 times a day. Since the average knowledge worker works a 10 hour day, that’s roughly every 30 minutes in a typical workday. If you go an hour without using AI, you’ve probably missed a chance to flex your AI muscle.
2. Replace Your Search Engine with a Chatbot
This is the easiest upgrade. Change your browser’s default search box to a chatbot. The search box is ideal because it latches onto a habit you already have. And it assuages data concerns: if you’re willing to type data into a search engine, it’s probably safe to type into an AI search tool as well.
Tools like ChatGPT have browser extensions, but you can also configure Claude or Gemini manually in your browser search settings. In the video, I show this for Chrome.
How are you upskilling on AI?
I’m currently researching how teams are upskilling for AI: What skills are missing? Which tools matter most? If you’re navigating this shift individually or inside your organization, I’d love to hear what you’re learning. Please reach out.