Stop Prompting. Start Talking: Why AI Fluency Begins With Conversation
Kirsty Skeates
AI fluency isn’t about learning prompts — it’s about learning to talk naturally with technology. The more conversational you get, the more powerful your results become.
By Kirsty Skeates
I never meant to become an "AI expert."
Most of my time is actually spent chatting. On the way home from school drop-off, I hit ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode and ask for the latest AI news, review what I have planned for the day, and sometimes dive deep into a topic to enhance my learning. It's become as natural as calling a friend.
But here's what surprises people: I built up my skills in promotion and became an image expert printer in a day-all through conversation with AI. No special training. No prompt engineering courses. Just talking.
And apparently, I'm not alone in discovering that the secret to AI fluency isn't mastering commands. It's simply knowing how to have a conversation.
The Moment That Changed Everything
TechTiff recently shared a revelation from her visit to OpenAI headquarters that perfectly captures this shift. Over coffee, someone asked her a deceptively simple question about her book, 100 Chats for Studying, Career & College Life:
"What do you think about us calling it 'Chats' instead of 'Prompts'?"
As Tiff reflected: "This wasn't just a branding choice. This was the entire insight."
She's absolutely right. That single word change-from "prompts" to "chats"-dismantles the invisible wall that keeps most people from using AI effectively.
The Prompt Engineering Myth
One of the most common questions people ask about ChatGPT is: "What would I even use it for?"
That question reveals everything. People think AI requires specific commands, special syntax, some secret language to unlock. The term "prompt engineering" makes it sound like you need a computer science degree.
Tiff heard this firsthand from new users: "What do you mean 'prompt engineering'? Look, I just want AI to write an email."
Here's the truth that nobody tells you: The word "prompt" creates a barrier. It implies there's a special way you need to talk to AI to get "good" results. It feeds imposter syndrome. People self-select out because they think they need training.
But "chat"? Most of us already know how to have a conversation.
What Real AI Use Actually Looks Like
OpenAI's 100 Chats book isn't filled with perfect prompts from AI experts. It's filled with 70 college students learning out loud-using AI to figure out classes, careers, and life decisions.
These students met weekly, sharing their best ChatGPT conversations, testing what worked, and voting on the most useful approaches. What emerged wasn't a collection of templates but documented conversations.
Here's what students actually wrote:
"Based on what you know about me, what do you think are my true goals in life? What am I doing that I can deprioritize?"
"I want to pressure-test this thesis before I keep writing. Suggest the existing opposing viewpoints and any flaws in my logic."
Notice something? These aren't commands. They're questions you'd ask a thoughtful friend.
As Tiff observed: "AI isn't just a tool to query, it's a mind to converse with."
The Real Skill: Follow-Up Questions
The best use cases don't come from perfect initial prompts. They come from people simply talking and asking follow-up questions.
Here's what actually matters:
Curiosity beats commands. The best results come from exploring ideas through dialogue, not executing perfect instructions.
Iteration is the point. Your first message starts the conversation; it doesn't need to contain everything.
Context builds naturally. Each exchange adds understanding. The AI learns what you're really after.
Follow-ups do the heavy lifting. "Can you make that more specific?" often works better than any elaborate prompt template.
Tiff puts it perfectly: "You don't need a template, you need a question. Follow-up questions are the actual skill, not perfect prompts."
And here's the brilliant part: "When you chat with AI, you're talking with the best prompt engineer in the room. If you can describe what you want, ChatGPT can help you refine it."
No syntax required. Just clarity and curiosity.
My AI Morning Routine
Let me show you what this looks like in practice.
Every morning after school drop-off, I open ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode in my car. My "prompts" sound something like:
"Hey, what's new in AI today that I should know about?"
"Here's what I'm working on today-can you help me think through the priorities?"
"I'm trying to understand [topic] better. Can you explain it and then quiz me?"
These aren't carefully crafted commands. They're just the actual questions bouncing around in my head.
Then I respond to what ChatGPT gives me like I would to a smart colleague:
"That's close, but can you make it less formal?"
"Good direction, but I need specific examples."
"Wait, explain that part again differently."
The conversation evolves. I learn. The AI learns what I actually need. And somehow, through these daily chats, I've built genuine expertise.
The Day I Built My Brand in the Car
Here's a perfect example of what conversation-based AI work actually looks like.
One day after drop-off, I sat in the car-for some reason, it just feels okay to chat away in the car with it on like the radio. Instead of driving home, I decided to do a full branding session.
I simply said: "Go and do deep research on branding tone of voice, and let's work together to make a document."
That's it. No template. No structured prompt. Just a clear intention.
And we did it. Just by talking. ChatGPT researched, asked me clarifying questions, helped me articulate my brand values, and typed everything out as we spoke. By the time I was ready to drive home, we had a complete brand document that ChatGPT formatted into a PDF.
The entire thing happened through natural conversation. I was literally sitting in my car, talking like I was on a phone call with a brand strategist, and by the end of it I had professional documentation I could actually use.
No coding. No complicated prompts. No special training. Just conversation.
When It All Clicked
Reading Tiff's article, when she wrote that you don't need prompt engineering expertise-you just need to talk-something clicked for me.
This is exactly how I've been using it all this time.
Don't get me wrong: I create prompts and meta prompts for building and guiding chatbots. They need those instructions to function properly. That's the technical side.
But daily? I use ChatGPT like it says on the tin. I chat.
There's a huge difference between:
Building a chatbot (which requires structured prompts and instructions)
Using ChatGPT (which just requires conversation)
Most people don't need to build chatbots. They just need to talk to one. And somehow, we've convinced ourselves that using AI requires the same technical skill as building it.
It doesn't.
That car branding session? That's what normal AI use looks like. Not prompt engineering-just conversation with a clear intention.
ChatGPT Projects: Conversations That Build Over Time
Tiff shares five ChatGPT Projects she's created, and each one proves that the future isn't prompt engineering-it's conversation design:
The Personal Growth Hub - Her accountability partner that knows her five-year plan and "occasionally bullies me into better habits."
The Personal Tutor - Has infinite patience, adapts to how she learns, and never rolls its eyes at repeated questions.
The Content Remix Lab - Her creative partner that turns one blog post into multiple formats, all in her voice.
The Skincare Station - Tracks products, flags ingredient clashes, and writes routines.
The Recipes + Meal Prep Hub - Knows what's in her pantry and what she'll actually cook.
As Tiff explains: "These Projects work because they aren't one-off tasks, they're conversations that build over time. Each chat compounds context. Each interaction sharpens understanding."
This is exactly how I built my image printing expertise. Not through a single perfect prompt, but through an ongoing dialogue where each conversation built on the last.
Who This Actually Helps
This reframe unlocks AI for everyone who's been standing at the door, unsure if they're qualified to enter.
People who thought they needed technical training
Anyone who keeps asking "but what would I use it for?"
Everyone intimidated by "prompt engineering" when they really just need help organising their thoughts
Tiff nails why OpenAI published student conversations instead of expert templates: "Real people having real dialogues reveal actual needs. A student asking ChatGPT to help them understand a difficult concept shows more about AI's potential than any perfectly crafted prompt could."
The Shift: From Prompting to Conversing
The old mindset tried to get the "right answer" through perfect syntax.
The new mindset focuses on better questions through iterative exploration.
As Tiff writes: "The future isn't prompt engineering. It's conversation design. And you already know how to do it."
Stop trying to speak robot when the robot already speaks human.
Those 70 students didn't become AI experts. They became better at articulating what they actually wanted. That's the entire skill. Not syntax, not templates, not special commands. Just clarity about your own thinking.
Start Where You Already Are
You don't need to learn AI. You need to unlearn the intimidation around it.
Every prompt engineering course, every template library, every expert framework-they're solving the wrong problem. They're teaching you to perform for the AI instead of collaborating with it.
Want to see this work immediately? Open ChatGPT right now and type exactly what's on your mind:
"I'm trying to figure out how to explain this concept without sounding condescending."
"Help me understand why my approach isn't working."
"What am I missing about this topic?"
Then-and this is crucial-respond to what it gives you like you would to a thoughtful colleague.
Build the conversation. Let it evolve.
That's what I do every morning in my car. That's how I became skilled at something I never formally studied. That's how those 70 students learned to use AI effectively.
You already have conversations all day long. ChatGPT is just another conversation partner who happens to have infinite patience and no judgment about your 2 AM existential planning sessions.
Your Next Move
As Tiff challenges us: "Stop waiting for the right prompt template. Stop thinking you need training. You already have conversations all day long."
Real results come from real conversations about real work. Not from mastering command syntax. Not from prompt engineering certificates. Just from being willing to think out loud with intelligence that thinks back.
Pick one thing that's been on your mind this week. Start a chat about it. Not a prompt-a conversation.
Watch what happens when you stop performing for the AI and start collaborating with it.
Connect & Continue the Conversation
Follow TechTiff on TikTok for more insights on using AI effectively and join the community of people learning to work with AI through conversation, not commands.
Want to dive deeper? Check out OpenAI's free resource: 100 Chats for College Students-real conversations from real students showing how AI actually gets used.
What's your next real conversation going to be about?
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