From Search to Strategy - The 4 Levels of AI Use and How to Prompt Like a Pro

If you’ve ever felt like AI is this magical black box — sometimes brilliant, sometimes frustrating — you’re not alone.
The truth is, the way you use AI determines the quality of what you get back.
Think of it like a relationship: the more clearly you understand what AI can (and can’t) do, and the more skillfully you communicate with it, the better your results will be.

Today, I want to walk you through the four levels of AI use — from basic search to visionary collaboration — and then show you a simple framework for prompting AI so it feels like you’re working with a trusted partner, not a random robot.

The 4 Levels of AI Use

Most people think AI is just “smarter Google.”
That’s Level 1 — but it’s only scratching the surface.

The deeper you go, the more AI shifts from being a passive tool to an active collaborator.

Level 1: Search — Google 2.0

This is where most beginners start.
At this level, you’re asking AI simple fact-finding questions:

• “What are the top 5 coffee shops in Denver?”

• “Summarize this article for me.”

• “What does ‘systems thinking’ mean?”

It’s fast, it’s efficient, and it beats scrolling through page 3 of Google results. But it’s limited — you’re not tapping into the real creative or strategic potential yet.

Think of Level 1 as AI-as-a-dictionary. Helpful, but not transformative.

Level 2: Task — Your Intern

Here’s where AI starts to feel like it’s working for you.
You’re giving it small, contained jobs:

• Write a rough draft of a blog post

• Summarize meeting notes

• Generate 10 ad headlines for Facebook

It’s similar to how you’d delegate work to an intern — you still need to give it clear instructions, and you’ll still be doing the final edits.

The trick here is specificity. The more details you provide (tone, length, format), the closer the output will be to what you envisioned.

Level 3: Strategy — Your On-Demand Consultant

At this level, AI stops being just a worker and starts acting like a thinking partner.
You’re asking it to help you decide, not just do:

• “Given my budget and target audience, what’s the best way to launch my product?”

• “Compare three marketing strategies for my newsletter growth, including pros and cons.”

This is where AI can surprise you with perspectives you hadn’t considered.
It can surface blind spots, suggest approaches, and even stress-test your ideas.

If Level 2 is about delegation, Level 3 is about collaboration.

Level 4: Vision — Your Thought Partner

This is the deepest, most powerful level — and the one most people never reach.
Here, AI isn’t just reacting to your requests — it’s helping shape the big picture.

• “Act as my creative director and help me reimagine my brand identity.”

• “Let’s brainstorm the future of my industry over the next 10 years.”

• “Help me define my personal philosophy on leadership and turn it into a book outline.”

At Level 4, AI becomes a catalyst for your own thinking.
It challenges you, refines your vision, and pushes you to explore ideas you might never arrive at alone.

The ACE Framework for Prompting AI

Regardless of which level you’re operating at, your results depend heavily on how you prompt AI.
A vague prompt will get you vague results.

That’s why I use the ACE Framework — a simple but powerful approach to crafting prompts that bring out AI’s best work.

A — Action

Break big tasks into clear, single steps.
Instead of: “Help me with my marketing.”

Try: “List 5 newsletter growth strategies I could use as a solo creator with under $500/month budget.”

Small steps keep AI focused and make it easier for you to assess and refine the output.

C — Context

Feed AI the background it needs to understand your situation.
The more relevant details you provide, the more personalized and accurate the result will be.

Example: “I run a weekly newsletter for modern builders called Momentum Notes. My audience is creators, solopreneurs, and consultants who want to use AI with clarity and intention. My tone is reflective but practical.”

E — Example

Show AI what “good” looks like.
If you have past work you’re proud of, share it. If you like a particular style, paste it in.

Example: “Here’s a sample intro from a past newsletter I wrote. Use this tone and rhythm when creating the draft.”

When AI sees what you want, it can mirror your style far more accurately.

How to Structure Your Prompt

To make this even easier, think of your prompt in three parts:

1. Role — Set the stage for how AI should think.

“Here’s a sample intro from a past newsletter I wrote. Use this tone and rhythm when creating the draft.”

2. Goal — Clarify what you want to achieve.

“Help me design a month-long content plan for my newsletter.”

3. Details — Provide all the necessary context.

“My audience is… My tone is… My preferred format is…”

Bringing It All Together

When you combine the 4 Levels of AI Use with the ACE Framework, you get a roadmap for unlocking AI’s full potential — without drowning in generic, cookie-cutter outputs.

Here’s the truth: AI’s value doesn’t come from replacing your thinking. It comes from amplifying it.

At Level 1, it’s your search engine.
At Level 2, your intern.
At Level 3, your consultant.
At Level 4, your thought partner.

The further you move up, the more AI becomes an extension of your own creative and strategic mind.

But that only works if you know how to talk to it.
Clear prompts. Rich context. Specific examples.

AI isn’t magic — it’s a mirror.
And the better you show it who you are and what you need, the more it will reflect back something worth building on.