Pick one job first
Don't try to 'use AI' in general. Choose one repeating task — say, replying to enquiries or writing captions — and find a tool that does that well. One job, done properly, builds confidence.
Free vs paid
Free tiers are perfect for learning. Pay only once a tool clearly saves you more time than it costs. Start free, upgrade on evidence.
Only once its free tier clearly saves you more time than the subscription costs — upgrade on evidence, not hype.
Keep your data safe
Assume anything you paste could be stored. Never paste customers' personal details, ID numbers or banking info into a public AI tool — a POPIA risk we cover later.
Never paste a customer's ID number or banking details into a public AI tool.