Garbage In. Garbage Out. (The AI Rule Nobody Wants to Hear)

Hey, Ryan here… and let’s talk about the one rule that can save you from wasting endless hours with AI: 

**Garbage in. Garbage out.**

Everyone’s got an opinion about AI right now. Some say it’s going to change everything. Some say it’s overhyped junk. The truth? Both camps are kinda right… depending on how you use it.

Here’s the problem: most people treat ChatGPT like a vending machine. They grab a list of “50 prompts for HR pros” off TikTok, copy-paste one in, hit enter, and then complain when the result is… garbage.

Of course it’s garbage. What you put in is garbage.

The Truth About AI Output

AI’s output is **one part you, one part it.** If you’re lazy with your input—vague prompts, no context, zero personality—you’ll get lazy output. Doesn’t sound like you. Doesn’t match your brand. Might even be flat-out wrong.

Think of it like hiring an assistant. If you don’t train them, give them context, explain what “great” looks like… how are they supposed to deliver?

AI is the same. It knows everything about everything, but nothing about *you.*

Context In. Context Out.

Here’s the shift: stop thinking “Garbage In. Garbage Out.” and start thinking **Context In. Context Out.**

Want AI to sound like you? Give it your voice, your lingo, your style.  
Want it to reflect your company? Give it your backstory, your templates, your playbook.

The magic happens in the **back-and-forth collaboration.** Not the one-and-done prompt. Tell it who you are, what you’re trying to achieve, what format you want the output in. Then ask: *“What else do you need from me to make this better?”*

That’s when it stops being a vending machine and starts being a co-pilot.

Why This Matters

Over the next 3–5 years, **every single person** at work will use generative AI. Some will know it. Some won’t—because it’ll be baked into their CRM, their ATS, their inbox.

But here’s the competitive edge: the ones who learn how to collaborate with it, who feed it the right context, who treat it like an extension of their team—those are the ones who will win.

The ones still copy-pasting random prompts? They’ll be stuck complaining, “See? AI doesn’t work.”

No… it works. You just don’t.

The Bottom Line

Stop treating AI like a magic trick. Start treating it like a teammate. Train it, teach it, collaborate with it.

Because at the end of the day… **you don’t get out what AI can do. You get out what *you* put in.**

👉 Want to see me break this down step-by-step with real examples?