AI changed more in six months than in the five years before it. Here are the three shifts that matter, a quick audit to see where you stand, and three predictions to get ahead of.
We are halfway through 2026. If you are using AI the same way you were in January, you are already behind, and this is the fastest way to catch up.
Below are the three shifts that actually changed the game, a two-minute audit so you know where you stand, and what I would get ready for next.
The smartest AI users stopped asking AI questions. They started building agents, workflows, and loops that run while they sleep. The unit of work went from a single answer to a whole job done on its own.
The move: build one small agent that does a real task start to finish. Not sure where to start? My how I build AI agents guide walks it.
A year ago the skill was writing the perfect prompt. Now it is giving AI the right context and setup so you can hand off the whole job. The win moved from the words you type to the environment you build around the model.
The move: stop starting from a blank box. Save reusable context, and trim what you already have with my Context Cleanup Checklist.
The best AI users do not have a favorite model anymore. They use the best model for the job, switching between Claude and ChatGPT depending on the task.
The move: learn which model wins at what. My best model for the task cheat sheet makes it a lookup.
Three honest questions. Every no is your next move.
The Real Win
The people pulling ahead are not smarter. They updated their approach the moment the tools changed. Reading this, you just did too.
Catching up from zero? Start with Getting Started With AI, then run my 7-Day AI Starter.