Learning to Use AI: Why So Many Smart People Feel Lost

A non-technical professional reflects on how she learned to use AI tools like Claude, arguing that the key factor is learning alongside other people rather than in isolation. She observes that those most comfortable with AI almost always learned it socially, while those feeling behind are trying to figure it out alone. She critiques both the performative online discourse that makes competent people feel inadequate and the principled opt-out stance that leaves thoughtful people with an inaccurate picture of AI's capabilities. She also makes a case that physical proximity to curious colleagues accelerates AI literacy, and that remote work may widen the AI knowledge gap. Practical advice includes finding a learning partner, starting with one real work task, and setting up Claude's desktop app with a Pro subscription.