Stay the thinker
Support or substitute
Two people learning the same topic. One asks AI to explain the part they are stuck on, then does the work themselves. The other has AI do the work and moves on. A month later, only the first can do it unaided. Early research on heavy AI use points the same way: people report thinking less critically when they lean on it for tasks they could do. Same tool, opposite outcomes.
Attempt first, then ask
Make your own rough attempt before asking for help, even a bad one. It shows you exactly where you are stuck, which makes your request targeted: "explain this step, don't do it for me" instead of "do this for me". Then ask it to quiz you to check you really understand. Our prompt library has a study-guide prompt that tests you rather than handing you a summary to reread.
Redo it in your own words
After the AI explains something, close the chat and redo the part you were stuck on yourself. Putting it in your own words or your own style is what turns borrowed help into understanding. For writing you will publish or submit, keep a note of what you asked for, what you kept and what you changed. In work, study and exams, check the actual rules on AI use and say how you used it when asked.
Where to go next
You can now explain how chatbots build answers, where those answers come from, how to check them, how to prompt and iterate, what not to share, how to judge images and messages, how to stay in charge of agents, and how to keep your own skills sharp. Take the final exam for your certificate, then try Beyond the Prompt for deeper prompting, or Spot AI Scams and Fake Media to share with family.
Is there a skill you used to have that a tool now does for you? Do you miss it, or not?