> Page 26 View from the Repair Bench
> Page 27 NAMM YP
> Page 28 Women of NAMM
AI IN MI I BY PETER DODS STAYING FLEXIBLE WITH AI DIRECTION I f you run a music store to- Don’t let AI overwhelm you with options.
day, you’ve probably heard that “AI can save you hours.” But what nobody tells you is how to actually make it work for your kind of business, one that’s more about people, prod- ucts and passion than pixels and prompts. The truth is, you don’t need to be a tech expert to start using AI effectively. You just need to know how to give it the right direction, keep it from spinning out and use it like any other shop tool, with purpose and control. Over the past year, I’ve tested AI in every corner of my store — from writing staff training guides and reworking rental agreements to drafting event fly- ers and customer emails. Along the way, I’ve learned that success isn’t about using every fancy fea- ture; it’s about knowing when to keep it simple and when to let it run. These are the lessons that helped me get real results without losing hours down an AI rabbit hole — and they can do the same for you. In last month’s column, I discussed why you should start experimenting with AI in your music business if you hadn’t already. This month, I’m going to share the tools and habits that make it actu- ally work for you day-to-day. It all starts with how you give AI directions, the clearer and
AI often overcomplicates simple tasks. Don’t let it. If it starts piling on options, stop it and say, “Pick the one approach most likely to work and give me just the first one or two steps.” Start high level. What’s the goal? What’s the simplest version of it? Don’t settle for the first answer. Don’t stop at the first draft. AI is made for iteration. Use prompts like “Make this more specific,” “Give me three differ- ent approaches,” or “Explain this like I’m new to music re- tail.” Refine it, rerun it and repeat. The second and third passes are usually where you’ll find success. Use visuals, not just words. A picture really is worth a thousand words, especially with AI. Screenshots help the system get on the same page faster. If you’re dealing with a messy spreadsheet, confusing site, or contract draft, capture only the part that matters. Restart the chat and start again. When a chat gets too long, the AI can lose track and start mak- ing things up. Quality drops fast. If that starts happening, have the AI write you a game plan you can move to a new
“Don’t stop at the first draft. AI is made for iteration. Use prompts like ‘Make this more specific’ [or] ‘Give me three different approaches.’”
more flexible your prompts, the better the results. Here are some tips and tricks. Start prompts with a clear action. Use a verb. Then, add only the key context. Think about: who it’s for, budget and vibe.
Add a quick example to show it the shape you want your text to take. Extras like persona, layout and tone are optional. In practice, telling it the task and offering a short context with one example usually de- livers the best results.
24 I MUSIC INC. I DECEMBER 2025
Powered by FlippingBook