Free guide, updated October 2026
Which AI tools should you set up?
Pick your devices and the job you want help with, and get the setup I would give you in a paid session. No email needed.
Your starter setup
- 1
One main assistant: ChatGPT or Claude
Both write well. Try each for a week on your own emails and documents, keep the one whose drafts need less fixing, and pay for one rather than three.
- 2
Mac: install the desktop apps
The ChatGPT and Claude Mac apps open with a keyboard shortcut from anywhere. On supported Macs, Apple Intelligence adds writing tools inside Mail and Notes.
- 3
iPhone: the app with voice mode
Talk to ChatGPT or Claude while you drive or walk, and the conversation is waiting on your computer later. Supported iPhones also have Apple Intelligence built in.
- 4
Switch off training on your chats
In each tool’s settings, turn off using your conversations to train models, and never paste client data into a free plan.
The three steps that matter most
Pick one main assistant and pay for it
The free tiers are limited and change often. One paid plan you use every day beats three you forget about.
Tell it who you are
Write custom instructions once: your role, your business, who you sell to and how you like to write. Every answer gets better.
Give each job its own project
Create a project per client or area and add the files it should know. That context is what turns a chatbot into an assistant.
Device by device
On a Mac
Install the ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps and give each a keyboard shortcut. Turn on Apple Intelligence writing tools if your Mac supports them, and put your working files in a folder the assistant can read through a project.
On a Windows PC
Copilot is built into Windows, and inside Outlook, Word and Excel if you pay for Microsoft 365. Add one desktop assistant for longer work, and pin it to the taskbar so it is one click away.
On your phone
Install the same assistant you use on your computer so chats follow you. Voice mode is the underrated feature: talk through an email or a plan on the drive in and finish it at your desk.
Privately, on your own computer
Ollama and LM Studio are free apps that download open models and run them with no internet connection. They suit confidential documents and drafts. They are slower and less capable than the cloud tools, so most people use both.
What I see go wrong
- Paying for five assistants and using none of them properly.
- Pasting client or patient data into a free plan.
- Skipping custom instructions, then deciding the tool is bad at your job.
- Letting an AI send anything to a customer without a person reading it first.
Common questions
Which AI tool should a small business start with?
One general assistant, ChatGPT or Claude, on a paid plan, set up with custom instructions about your business. Add specialist tools only when a specific job needs them.
Is it safe to put business data into AI tools?
On a paid or business plan with training switched off, the major tools are reasonable for most business data. For anything regulated or confidential, use a local model on your own computer or a plan your industry approves.
Can I run AI privately on my own computer?
Yes. Free apps like Ollama and LM Studio run open models on a Mac or Windows PC with nothing sent to the cloud. They need a reasonably recent machine with plenty of memory and are slower than the cloud tools.
Do I need to pay for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini?
No. Most people need one paid assistant. If you live in Google Workspace, Gemini may already be included; if you use Microsoft 365, Copilot may be.
Rather have it set up for you?
An AI Power Session is $350: 75 to 90 minutes on your own devices and work, with everything configured by the end. In person in Dallas-Fort Worth or by video.