You wouldn't wear stilettos on a hike. So why are you using the same AI setup for everything?
I need to update something I used to teach.
Because AI moves ridiculously fast.
There was a time when I could tell somebody:
Use GPT-4o for this.
Use o1 for that.
Use GPT-4.5 when you want this.
And everybody could go about their business.
Well.
Those recommendations aged like milk.
As of October 2026, ChatGPT's current lineup includes GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Luna, different thinking levels, and, for eligible users, GPT-6 Astra. OpenAI Help Center
So instead of memorizing a bunch of model names that'll probably change again before I finish my coffee, I think there's a better skill to learn.
Match the amount of brainpower to the damn job.
Not Everything Needs the Big Brain
Sometimes I need AI to:
Clean up an email.
Summarize something.
Give me ten ideas.
Reformat information.
Turn notes into a list.
I'm not trying to solve the mysteries of the universe.
I need the robot to help me get through Tuesday.
That's where faster everyday AI makes sense.
For example, GPT-5.6 Luna is designed as the fastest and lowest-cost model in its family, particularly for high-volume work. OpenAI Help Center
If I'm processing a mountain of repetitive information, I don't necessarily need to bring Einstein to the cookout.
Then There's the Stuff That Needs Some Thinking
Now let's say I'm working through:
A client's positioning.
A complicated content plan.
An SOP with seventeen moving pieces.
A business decision.
Research.
A workflow where one decision affects five others.
Okay.
Now I want more brain.
GPT-5.6 Sol is OpenAI's flagship GPT-5.6 model for complex professional work, and ChatGPT lets eligible users increase how much thinking it applies through Medium, High, and other available levels. OpenAI Help Center
This is one of my favorite changes.
Because sometimes the question isn't:
Which AI should I use?
It's:
How hard does AI need to think about this?
Very different question.
And Sometimes I Need the Robot to Put on Its Good Wig
Then we have the serious assignments.
Complex research.
Difficult analysis.
A giant project with multiple pieces.
Something where I need the AI working through a problem instead of firing back the first decent answer it can produce.
That's where the heavier options come in.
GPT-6 Astra is OpenAI's newer generation of intelligence, and GPT-6 Pro is available on eligible plans for especially demanding work. OpenAI
Do I need that because I want five caption ideas?
Probably the fuck not.
That's like calling Beyoncé because you need somebody to sing Happy Birthday at brunch.
Could she?
Obviously.
Was this necessary?
Ma'am.
The Best AI Isn't Automatically the Right AI
This is what I really want freelancers to understand.
Stop thinking:
What's the smartest model?
Start thinking:
What am I asking it to do?
Speed matters.
Cost can matter.
How much reasoning you need matters.
The amount of information you're feeding it matters.
Whether you need research matters.
Whether you're brainstorming or making an important decision matters.
You don't need maximum horsepower every time you leave the driveway.
Sometimes we're going to Target.
And Then There Are Custom GPTs
This is still one of my favorite parts.
Because model selection is only one piece of using AI well.
You can have an incredibly capable model and still get mediocre work if it knows absolutely nothing about you.
Your business.
Your voice.
Your processes.
Your clients.
Your preferences.
Your examples.
Your rules.
That's why I like building focused AI assistants around specific jobs.
One might help with content.
Another might know an internal process.
Another might help organize client information.
The interesting part isn't creating a digital version of yourself that supposedly knows everything.
I don't even know everything.
Why would Glowy?
Give your AI a job.
Give it good information.
Give it boundaries.
Then supervise the little heifer.
I Don't Want an AI Twin
I used to joke about building an AI that thinks like me.
I've changed my mind slightly.
I don't need another Monica.
One is plenty.
I need something that understands how I work well enough to help me work.
There's a difference.
AI can know my preferences.
It can reference examples.
It can follow processes.
It can help me get from an idea to something useful faster.
But I still want Monica making the final call.
Because if the robot gets something wrong, nobody wants to hear:
“Well, ChatGPT said...”
Baby, whose business is this?
Exactly.
So Which One Should You Use?
Here's my extremely sophisticated decision tree:
Easy shit?
Use the faster option available to you.
Complicated shit?
Give the model more thinking.
Really complicated shit?
Bring out the expensive brain.
Something you do repeatedly?
Build a focused system around it.
And everything?
Review it.
There.
Saved you a 97-slide AI masterclass.
You're welcome.
CURRENT MOOD
“Come Over” by Aaliyah.
Because this is basically how I treat AI now.
Oh, you can do research?
Come over.
You can organize these notes?
Come over.
You can help me work through this idea without making me stare at a blank page for forty minutes?
Baby...
Can I come over?
The answer is yes.
But you're still not getting a key to my house.
Listen to “Come Over” by Aaliyah on YouTube
PEAK OF THE WEEK
Realizing I don't need to know every AI model, feature, update, and release to be good at using AI.
I need to understand the work.
Then I can choose the right amount of technology to help me do it.
Much less exhausting.
#PutTheRightRobotOnIt
XXX,
M💋
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