Build Systems
All tools will work best when you train them, improve them, and build on top of them.
Everyone around us, even people far from the world of tech and startups, are talking about AI. From social media to mainstream news, WhatsApp groups to coffee chats, there is always some mention of AI.
What excites me the most is being part of this revolution.
It feels a lot like the dot-com wave of the early 2000s! When legendary companies like Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and Microsoft shaped the internet we live on today. That era changed everything. And now, it’s happening again.
Being part of this ecosystem, right here, right now, feels special.
But not everyone is feeling like this. If you look around, you can feel the mixed emotions about AI.
Some are super excited about what’s coming next.
Some are nervous, wondering if it might affect or replace them.
And some are just silent observers, watching things unfold.
All of these emotions are valid.
But in all this, something interesting is happening!! These AI tools are slowly shaping a new work pattern for us.
Stuck on something? Ask ChatGPT.
Need to write something? Ask ChatGPT.
Thinking of what to work on? Ask ChatGPT.
Wondering what to eat? A s k C h a t G P T.
It’s not wrong. But the illusion of instant results that this creates?
That doesn’t feel right.
I was recently reading a few posts shared on social media. All of them were talking about AI. Their new AI workflows. How it made their life simpler. How it automated 10-12 different things for them.
I was curious, how exactly did they do it?
You might also have noticed many such posts, articles, videos! Mostly starting with some hook like -
10 ways I automated my user research with ChatGPT — saved 3 hours a day.
If you're not using ChatGPT to automate cold outreach, you’re wasting time.
I vibe coded an app and now it is earning money passively. If I can do this, you can too....
You got my point, right?
To be honest, I feel a little bad about this. A little annoyed too.
Why? Because this is not how things work. This is how they get marketed.
No, I am not doubting the capabilities of AI or the tools or the workflows! They are the superpowers that we have now.
But most of these workflows shared in these posts are surface-level. They can get basic work done, like an intern might. And sure, for a software tool, that’s impressive. But if you’re trying to build something meaningful, this is not how you do it.
You need to spend time. You need to build systems.
These tools work best when you train them, improve them, and build on top of them. The prompts you see online? Think of them as starting points. But from there, it’s your job to make it better. It is your job to make it suitable for your use case.
But the sad part is, most people don’t do this.
We’re so obsessed with shortcuts that only a few percent of people actually put in the work and effort to use these things to the fullest capacity!
Let me give you a small and simple example to prove my point.
Try this: Ask ChatGPT to write an article with this prompt
“Write an article on AI trends in 2025.”
Then ask again the same thing, with a little different prompt:
“Write an article on AI trends in 2025. I’m a founder writing for a tech-savvy audience. I want this to be in-depth, thoughtful, covering trends like open-source AI, agent workflows, infra-level innovation, etc. Use credible references, no fluff. My tone is direct but curious. Around 1500 words. Make sure it’s not generic.”
Which one do you think will be better?
This is just for a basic task, writing an article! Now imagine when you're working on complex workflows like researching potential companies for jobs, learning about potential clients, writing cold emails, or designing a marketing campaign.
Think about how much data, context, and attention to detail you need to provide for these tools to work well. It might even take a few iterations to get the system right and in place.
That’s why I’m saying we need to build systems.
AI tools are incredible. Training AI is easier and cheaper than training humans. But you still need to know what you’re doing.
Don’t skip the fundamentals.
All these “10 hacks to use ChatGPT” are viral because we love hacks. But real builders don’t rely on hacks. Hacks are one-offs. Systems are what scale.
Use AI smartly. Stick to fundamentals. Build your own stack. Otherwise, AI will make you passive, even lazy. It’ll take away your creativity instead of enhancing it.
So instead of chasing the next “10 ChatGPT hacks”…
Build systems.
P.S. I am more active on Peerlist for writing articles and overall sharing my thoughts! If you do not see me for a while, this is where you should check out!