One thing I’ve learned about AI is this: you get out what you put in. AI is incredibly powerful, but it’s not magic. The best results come when you treat it like a partner, giving it context, clear direction, and feedback. Here are the biggest lessons I’ve learned after hundreds of hours working with Merlin:

Do’s

• Do Be Specific:
  If I ask Merlin to “write something about volunteers,” I’ll get something forgettable. But when I say, “Write a 100-word Facebook post inviting volunteers for our next sorting event. Make it sound welcoming, and highlight that volunteers help over 80,000 people a year through Trusted World.” I get a usable draft on the first try.
• Do Share Your Tone and Examples:
  I often paste in past donor letters or press releases and say, “Match this tone and style.” Merlin learns faster when I give examples.
• Do Ask for Variations:
  One of the best things AI can do is give you multiple options. I’ll often say, “Give me three versions of this letter, one warm, one bold, and one data-driven,” and then I combine the best ideas.
• Do Explain Why Something Isn’t Right:
  Instead of just saying, “This doesn’t work,” I explain why. For example, I might say, “This sounds too corporate — I need something that feels like a conversation with our community.” Over time, this has trained Merlin to anticipate my tone.
• Do Use AI to Brainstorm, Not Just Write:
  Some of the best Giving Tuesday campaign ideas we’ve had started as a brainstorming session with AI. I use it to spark ideas, not just draft content.

Don’ts

• Don’t Expect Perfection on the First Try:
  The first draft is usually 70–80% of the way there. The magic happens when I refine it, just like I would with a human teammate.
• Don’t Give Vague Instructions:
  If you say, “Write a blog post about donations,” you’ll get something generic. Instead, be clear: “Write a 500-word blog post explaining why clothing donations make the biggest impact for local schools.”
• Don’t Skip Fact-Checking:
  AI can write fast, but it’s not always 100% accurate. I always verify numbers, names, and dates before publishing.
• Don’t Rely on AI Alone:
  AI is powerful, but it doesn’t replace your voice, your stories, or your strategy. It’s here to amplify your message, not replace it.

Lesson Learned

AI is like a talented assistant; it’s only as good as your direction. When I started treating Merlin like a partner and giving it specific, actionable feedback, the quality of its output jumped from “decent” to “this sounds like me.”