If I would compare a professional trying to use AI to a character from a movie or series, it would be the main hero of The Mandalorian series.

Yes, I recently rewatched The Mandalorian on Disney+, and something caught my attention (skip this paragraph if you plan to watch this series and don’t want to see spoilers). This skilled warrior, fluent in the use of all kinds of weapons, fails to use something that looks super simple—a sword. But this was no ordinary lightsaber… It was the Darksaber, a legendary weapon that, once possessed in a duel, allows its wielder to rule the entire nation of Mandalorians. While the Darksaber seems easy to use at first glance, the reality is different—it requires proper training and treatment. You need to follow how the weapon guides you instead of forcing it. Even skilled warriors have great trouble using it without understanding its nature.

Does this sound familiar? Great!

Let’s get back from the world of Star Wars into our reality.

AI hype continues to grow week by week. Very often, in such enthusiastic times, those who catch the wave forget to keep an eye on the real value the trend brings. What’s worse, even skilled professionals may get lost easily, trying to push themselves to join the hype to prove that they are modern.

AI is an extremely powerful tool, and just like with the Darksaber example I mentioned before—it seems super easy to use. “You just need to ask what you want, and you get all the answers in seconds.” Such an enthusiastic approach is fine when you’re playing with AI, but it may hurt you quickly if you start using it in real battles—your daily work.

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How can using AI hurt you or your company?

Let’s go through the top five aspects that you might not have thought about but that influence every use of AI tools:

1. Hallucinations – Have you heard of hallucinations that AI produces? AI generates false replies with confidence all the time. Once you start copying and pasting them into your documents, you may quickly mislead others and make wrong decisions.
2. Losing the context – Did you know that all AI tools have a limited context window? They grow with each update, but still, if you exceed it (which often happens when working with content rich in text/tokens), AI starts producing low-quality or random results.
3. Legal issues – While large, well-known AI solutions tend to train their models with legal sources (well... it's also not always true), you never know if a new startup with a revolutionary text-to-video solution has trained its LLM on content without the authors’ permission, which may affect the results you get.
4. Unintentional data leaks – Many tools, by default, train their models on the data you provide in prompts. If you upload documentation, presentations, or other personal or company information that should not be public, you risk data leaks.
5. Losing time & money on AI – Every month, dozens of new, attractive AI tools are launched. When you choose one and are not well-prepared to prompt effectively, you may fall into the trap of endlessly experimenting with prompts and quickly running out of credits.

I could mention many more risks related to AI use. But… does that mean we should avoid using it? Definitely not! I strongly believe that AI is the tool of the future, and all creative professionals, content creators, and those who take productivity seriously should master it.

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‍How to use AI safely?

If you are familiar with these threats, you are in a better position than many professionals using AI daily. If not, it’s a great time to catch up on these topics and more.Feel free to use the following prompt in ChatGPT, Claude, or Deepseek to learn:

"Act as a professional AI expert. I want to use AI for work and personal tasks. Please explain the dangers of using AI for these purposes. Prepare it as a list, with a one-sentence explanation of each issue and a short explanation of how to avoid the threat. Include a link to the source from which you got the explanation."

While the above prompt looks quite simple, I intentionally used several prompting techniques to generate an easy-to-scan and valuable result. Try it yourself!

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‍Does AI bring real value to work?

I already see some design influencers making jokes about those who use AI-generated elements in their design work. On the other hand, some have fallen in love with AI and use its generated outcomes - images, text, videos - everywhere. It’s natural for communities to polarize their opinions. However, I am far from using absolutes like love it or hate it. AI is powerful, and yes, it can bring significant value to your work, but it is still just a tool…Every tool should be used with care and understanding. Proper training and purpose need to be considered. Only in this conscious way can you add real value to your work. As I mentioned earlier, AI may hurt your work, but it can also empower it significantly - it’s up to you how you use this tool.I already see the question forming in your head: How do I use AI for my design work? I have the answer that may help you.

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‍AI for Designers Masterclass

Once you know the risks, it’s time to master the tools themselves. Every weapon requires guided training. As a UX/UI Designer, you should understand the practical approach that will help you extract real value from AI tools.That’s why I’m sharing what I’ve learned in the AI for Designers Masterclass. It’s packed with practical knowledge tested with various tools and purposes. Learn how to go from client interviews, through research, into low-fi and high-fi visual design, and even UX writing. If you’d like to check it out, get a taste of the course with 3 free lessons (available on the official course website).

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Check AI for Designers Masterclass

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There’s still a lot ahead of us in terms of AI. Legal regulations are still taking shape, big companies are launching new tools, and new unicorns are emerging. However, one thing is sure: smart usage of AI is a skill that is reshaping the market—be the one that knows how to handle this powerful weapon.

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Thanks for reading, may the force be with you!