Full article coming soon.
This piece is part of a beginner AI series I'm publishing as I build it in the open. Here's a preview of what it covers — subscribe below and you'll get the complete deep-dive the moment it lands.
The big idea
You don't need a fancy setup or a credit card to start playing with AI. Here are the free tools I'd hand a total beginner. This article breaks that down step by step, assuming zero prior background and explaining every term the first time it shows up.
Why it matters
I'm a self-taught Efficiency Engineer, not a researcher — so everything here is framed around what actually helped me get unstuck and make progress. If it didn't move the needle for me as a beginner, it didn't make the cut.
What you'll take away
You'll leave with a mental model you can reuse, the confidence to keep experimenting on your own, and a clear next step. Curiosity over credentials — always.
