How I Use AI

Ever send dozens of job applications and hear nothing back?

AI is screening your application before any human sees it. But you can use AI to get past those filters.

I'm chatting with Dr. Kara Elam, a health policy expert who's been using ChatGPT to navigate a tough job market. She shares how she trains AI to sound like her, writes cold emails that get executive responses, and tackles the blank page of death problem we all face.

This is honest, practical advice for job hunting, which can be so useful when you're juggling applications, family, and save time wherever you can.

"The blank page is scary. AI gives you a starting place." — Dr. Kara Elam

You’ll hear about:

Why both job seekers and HR departments are using AI

How to train ChatGPT to understand your unique voice

Getting past AI screening tools with keyword optimisation

The blank page problem and why AI helps overcome it

Catching AI mistakes before hitting send on applications

Writing cold emails that get responses from executives

Using AI to evaluate if jobs will make you happy

Episode Resources:

ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com

 

Connect With Dr. Kara Elam:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kara-elam-ab661922/

 

Connect With Me:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/accessible-ai/

AI For Non Techies on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ai-for-non-techies/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heather_aifnt/?hl=en

AI for Non-Techies - https://nontechies.ai/home

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aifornontechies

 

Become an AI trainer - https://nontechies.ai/become-an-ai-trainer/

 

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

My guest today made me stop and think about AI in a completely different way.

We talk about what it really means to live in an intergenerational world, why people over 50 are so often underestimated with technology, and how AI can act as a powerful leveller rather than another barrier.

Simon Long describes himself as an “age astronaut” and once you hear him explain why, it makes perfect sense.

We explore deeply human topics, from dementia and Alzheimer’s to loneliness, social isolation and mental health. We look at how voice-based AI, natural language tools and simple interfaces could help people stay connected to family, memories, music and community, without pretending that AI should ever replace real human connection.

Simon also shares the AI tools he uses day to day, how he thinks about boundaries with AI, and why curiosity matters more than age.

This is a hopeful, thoughtful conversation about where AI fits into real lives, not just work.

Could AI help us feel more connected, rather than less?

“AI should help people feel connected, not replaced.” – Simon Long

You’ll hear about:

What an age astronaut really means

Why over 50s are underestimated with AI

AI as a leveller across generations

Voice interfaces and natural conversation

AI and loneliness risks

Safeguards and mental health boundaries

AI tools Simon uses daily

Avoiding AI overload and screen fatigue

Prompting tips that improve results

 

Episode Resources:

 

ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com

Perplexity AI - https://www.perplexity.ai

Claude by Anthropic - https://claude.ai

Gamma AI - https://gamma.app

Notion - https://www.notion.so

WhisperFlow - https://whisperflow.ai

Pi (Personal AI) - https://pi.ai

 

Connect With Simon Long:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-r-long/

 

Connect With Me:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/accessible-ai/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heather_aifnt/?hl=en

AI for Non-Techies - https://nontechies.ai/home

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aifornontechies

 

Join my Academy - https://nontechies.ai/ai-academy

 

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Ever stared at an error message with no clue how to fix it? Me too…

In this episode, I talk to finance manager and ACCA accountant Sirajuddin Mohammed about the moment Copilot helped him fix a failed BACS payment and turn panic into pure relief.

Siraj shares how he uses Copilot safely at work, from debugging Excel formulas to building PowerPoint skeletons. He also talks about how Copilot has helped him become more confident with his email writing in English, as it is his second language. How amazing is that?!

We dig into why those “tiny” 5–10 minute time savers add up to meaningful hours back each week, and why AI is less a robot overlord and more like a friendly teammate sitting beside you.

We also talk about the reality of AI adoption in finance teams, why so many accountants are still stuck in manual processes, and how small experiments with tools like Copilot, Power Automate and Power Apps can quietly transform the way finance works. If you’ve ever thought “AI isn’t for me” or “I don’t have time to learn this,” this conversation might just change your mind.

If you’re in finance, buried in manual tasks or nervous about trying AI at work, this one’s for you.

“Time is money, so use AI to save both.” – Sirajuddin Mohammed

You’ll hear about:

 

Using Copilot for emails
• Fixing Excel formula errors
• Creating PowerPoint skeletons
• The BACS payment file moment
• Why finance teams avoid AI
• Encouraging small workflow changes
• Tools Siraj wants to learn next

 

Connect With Sirajuddin Mohammed:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirajuddinmohammed/

 

Connect With Me:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/accessible-ai/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heather_aifnt/?hl=en

AI for Non-Techies - https://nontechies.ai/home

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aifornontechies

 

Join my Academy - https://nontechies.ai/ai-academy

 

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Ever feel like AI sounds great in theory… but hard to actually use day to day?

 

That’s exactly what my guest, Georgia Palmer, figured out how to do  in two completely different worlds. She’s a medical editor by day and a yoga teacher by night, and she’s found smart, practical ways to make AI save her time in both, without losing her voice or her values.

 

Georgia shares how she uses tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for writing, research, and creativity,  plus how she built her own custom GPTs “Sally the Substantiator” and “Polly the Prompt Partner” to make her work faster and more accurate.

 

We talk about the good stuff, the messy bits, and the reality of using AI in industries where accuracy and trust matter.

 

If you’ve been wondering how to bring AI into your workflow without it taking over, this episode will give you a ton of ideas to start testing right away.

 

“Good prompts make AI feel genuinely collaborative.” - Georgia

 

You’ll hear about:

 

Real-life examples of AI in creative and regulated work

Building custom GPTs like Sally and Polly

How to write prompts that actually work

Using deep research tools safely

Avoiding the “AI voice” trap

Making AI images that look like what you imagined

 

Connect With Georgia Palmer:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-palmer57/

 

Connect With Me:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/accessible-ai/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heather_aifnt/?hl=en

AI for Non-Techies - https://nontechies.ai/home

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aifornontechies

 

Join my Academy - https://nontechies.ai/ai-academy

 

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Is this your business life?

Mountains of post-it notes are cluttering your desk, flip charts galore, your phone full of notes you’ve jotted down, in short – it’s chaos.

For Ingrid Brown, my guest in this episode, this was her daily experience. But it didn’t stay that way…

Ingrid is a seasoned brand and culture adviser with experience in B2B consultancy across the UK and Europe. She opens up about the initial fear many she and professionals face when approaching AI, and how gaining just a little knowledge can unlock game-changing results — especially for small businesses.

You’ll hear how she uses tools like Otter.ai, Perplexity, and Custom GPTs to turn qualitative research into meaningful brand narratives, freeing her to focus on the strategic work she loves.

Whether you're a consultant, strategist, or small business owner, this episode is packed with practical examples of AI supporting growth, improving productivity, and enhancing creativity — without losing the human touch.

Ready to go from curious to confident with AI? Hit play and learn how to make these tools work for you.

 

“I was drowning in insights” - Ingrid

 

You’ll hear about:

How AI can be an enabling tool rather than a fear-inducing technology.

The ways AI can help distil large amounts of data, and save time for strategic tasks.

The reasons AI should augment human knowledge, not replace it.

It being essential to critically analyse AI-generated content and data.

AI tool serving as virtual assistants to enhance workflow and efficiency.

Authenticity in communication remaining crucial despite AI's capabilities.

 

Connect With Ingrid:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brown-ingrid/

 

Bright Space - https://www.brightspacecomms.co.uk/

Bright Space on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightspacecommsuk/

Bright Space on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/bright-space-communications/

 

Connect With Me:

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/accessible-ai/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heather_aifnt/?hl=en

AI for Non-Techies - https://nontechies.ai/home

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aifornontechies

 

Join my Academy - https://nontechies.ai/ai-academy

 

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/