AI is an incredible force multiplier in IT, but it exposes gaps fast when people rely on it without hands on experience. I see many newer professionals depend on AI answers without understanding the systems underneath, which leads to shallow fixes, wasted time, and false confidence. Poor prompting usually comes from not knowing what details matter yet, and AI cannot guess context you do not provide.
Example one, a reactive prompt looks like “Why is my server slow?” and the result is generic tuning advice that goes nowhere. A proactive prompt sounds like “Windows Server 2025 VM, SQL workload, CPU steady at 40 percent, memory capped at 80 percent, disk latency spikes to 40ms during backups, logs attached, what would you investigate next?” and suddenly AI becomes useful.
Example two, asking “How do I secure my network?” gets checkbox answers, while providing topology, trust boundaries, user types, and known risks turns AI into a real design reviewer.
After decades in IT, I use AI as a thinking partner, not an authority. I know when to guide it, challenge it, or ignore it entirely. The teams that succeed are calm, experienced, and use AI to sharpen judgment, not replace it.