Welcome to Try Using AI
Thanks for signing up! If you're reading this, chances are you're curious about AI and maybe a little overwhelmed by the hype—or just not sure where to begin.
You're in the right place.
This guide is designed for people like you: smart, experienced, and practical—not necessarily technical. You don't want another buzzword-filled pitch or get-rich-quick schemes. You want to understand what AI can actually do for you today.
That's the mission of TryUsingAI.com: making AI approachable and practical.
In this first issue, I'll show you:
- My personal list of free AI tools worth trying
- How I built an interactive live demo site in one afternoon using only AI tools and copy/pasting code
- A ridiculous-but-true story about saving hundreds of dollars using ChatGPT... to get my pool ready for summer
Top AI Tools You Can Start Using Today
Here are the tools I use most often—simple, powerful, and (mostly) free:
| Tool | What It's Good For | Free Tier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Writing, idea generation, research | ✅ GPT-3.5 | GPT-4 is better but paid. Great all-around tool. |
| Claude | Long documents, summaries, brainstorming | ✅ Available | Excellent for reading big PDFs and giving clean answers. |
| Perplexity | Replacing Google, getting fast answers | ✅ Available | Best AI-powered search engine. Fast + factual. |
| Gemini | Docs, Sheets, Gmail integration | ✅ Available | Works well if you already live in Google's ecosystem. |
| Poe | One app, many models (ChatGPT, Claude...) | ✅ Available | Great place to compare different AIs without switching tools. |
| DALL-E | AI image generation from text descriptions | ✅ Limited | Built into ChatGPT. Great for quick image creation and editing. |
| Midjourney | Creating images/art from text prompts | ❌ Paid Only | Stunning results. Requires Discord. |
| ElevenLabs | Realistic AI voice generation | ✅ Limited | Very limited free tier but fun to try. |
| Murf | AI voiceover and speech synthesis | ✅ Limited | Good for presentations and videos. Multiple voice options. |
How I Built a Live Demo Page Using Only AI
See the Demo Page right now
I didn't write any of the code or do any design. I just asked AI the right questions.
Here's the workflow I followed:
- Idea: I wanted a demo site with dynamic elements that was 100% developed by AI tools.
- Tool: I used ChatGPT with GPT-3.5 (the free version) to generate the layout, copy, and HTML/CSS.
- Design Feedback: I uploaded screenshots to Claude and asked for design tips and feedback to get another perspective and final polish.
It took about 6 hours total over 3 days—way faster than if I'd done it manually or hired someone.
Step 1: Define the Goal
Initial Prompt to ChatGPT (GPT-3.5):
Go look at my landing page tryusingai.com — there is a line that says "How to build a web page like this without coding or design using AI" That's what I want to work on right now — I want this to be ENTIRELY done by you — I will publish the page in Carrd — so give me code that will work using the embed element in Carrd. I want the page to be visually appealing with a "wow" factor — dark theme — some kind of interaction — either a counter or something — let's brainstorm some ideas.
ChatGPT's Four Concept Ideas:
- "Live Prompt Counter" — A stylish, animated counter that ticks up like an odometer showing how many AI prompts have been generated "so far."
- "Bubble Map" Mini View — AI prompt types pop up across the globe with colored circles.
- "Auto-Building Page" — A section where fake HTML code is animated like it's typing out, mimicking AI "building" the page for you.
- "Before/After" — Split screen: one side blank, one finished AI-built component. A slider lets users move between the two.
Final Choice: Option 3 + Option 1 (Auto-coding animation + Animated prompt counter)
Step 2: First Code Block
ChatGPT generated complete HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for an interactive page with:
- Animated background grid
- Live-typing code terminal effect
- Counter showing "AI prompts generated"
- Responsive design
- Replay functionality
Step 3: Revisions and Bug Fixes
Most effort focused on ensuring the site worked for both desktop and mobile, including:
- CSS media queries for responsive design
- Flexbox layout adjustments
- Mobile-friendly touch interactions
Step 4: Second Opinion from Claude
I uploaded a screenshot to Claude and asked for feedback on visual layout and readability.
Claude's suggestions:
- Improve spacing between sections
- Use larger text for mobile screens
- Add more prominent call-to-action button
Step 5: Upload and Test
The page was live in under 5 minutes using Carrd.
Final result: https://demo.tryusingai.com
No external libraries. No templates. 100% AI-built.
See the complete prompt list and code blocks here
How I Used ChatGPT to Rescue My Algae-Filled Pool
After a nasty outbreak of black and green algae in my pool—and facing the possibility of an $800 bill for draining and scrubbing—I turned to ChatGPT.
Over two weeks, I shared daily updates with ChatGPT and received detailed, step-by-step instructions.
ChatGPT helped me with:
- The right chlorine dosing (down to the gallon) based on my pool size
- When and how to brush (metal brush, frequency, targeting root zones)
- How to test and interpret chlorine, pH, and pressure levels
- When to backwash my filter—even two days in a row if needed
- The impact of rain, swimmer load, and how to stabilize my pool again
Results:
- Killed off all visible algae
- Maintained stable chlorine without over-treating
- Understood the real cause of chlorine loss (organic demand)
- Avoided expensive services or unnecessary drain/refills
I went from extreme frustration, green water, and black algae to a crystal-clear, safe-to-swim pool, plus a long-term maintenance plan—all using free AI guidance.
What's Next?
This is just the start. In upcoming issues, I'll share:
- A detailed walkthrough and review of the major AI tools
- AI scams to avoid
- Real-world stories from clients including:
- An insurance adjuster who won an important arbitration case using AI
- A 50-something truck driver launching a web business using AI
- A runner who used AI to improve his half-marathon time by 30 minutes
- Walkthroughs of real-life problems solved using free AI
Want More?
I will be creating a private community where people can post questions and share what they are doing with AI. There won't be any other upsells. All future content, courses, lesons, and videos will be available within the community.
The cost will likely be $25–50/month. If that interests you, please reply to this email and get on the early access list.