How to Use AI: Bridging the Skills Gap with Vertical Institute on CNA938

By the end of 2025, learning how to use AI had gone mainstream across Singapore, not just in tech circles, but in classrooms, boardrooms, and even seniors’ groups. According to the IMDA’s latest Digital Economy Report, 73.8% of workers in Singapore now use AI tools regularly. It marks a significant shift in just a year.

Whether you’re an executive using ChatGPT to draft reports, a student running research with Perplexity, or a senior keeping up with your grandchildren, AI has moved beyond novelty. It’s now a skill, and one that’s increasingly expected.

On CNA938’s Mind Your Money, Vertical Institute’s Generative AI Instructor, Prabhjit Singh, shared real stories of how Singaporeans are adapting. His insights reveal one thing clearly: if you’re wondering how to use AI meaningfully, now’s the time to figure it out.

Quick Takeaways

• 2025 marked the shift from AI experiments to real-world expectations.
• AI usage gaps exist across all age groups in Singapore.
• Misusing AI often comes from overtrusting or underchecking results.
• Effective use involves combining tools rather than relying on a single one.
• AI fluency depends more on mindset than technical skill.

Why 2025 Changed Everything for AI in the Workplace

Before 2025, most people approached AI with curiosity. People used to ask, “Can it really do that? ” or “Is it worth trying? ” But in 2025, the tone changed, and fast.

Vertical Institute saw a 115% increase in Generative AI course enrolments between June and August 2025. That surge wasn’t driven by hype. It came from workers, students, and retirees who realised they couldn’t afford to fall behind. AI wasn’t just a tool for specialists anymore. It became an everyday skill.

Employers also started setting higher expectations. It’s no longer enough to dabble. You’re now expected to use AI well, whether that means drafting reports faster, analysing data, or creating presentations on the fly.

And as 2026 approaches, this shift is only picking up speed. So what does real AI literacy actually look like, and why are so many people getting it wrong?

What Real AI Literacy Looks Like

Typing a prompt and waiting for an answer isn’t AI literacy. It’s only the starting point.

On CNA938, Prabhjit Singh, a Generative AI instructor from Vertical Institute, pointed out a pattern he often sees among learners. Many users accept AI output without review, even when it’s long or complex.

“They don’t read everything. They take it wholesale as though it’s the gospel.”

That behaviour creates risk because generative AI doesn’t always get things right. These tools can hallucinate. They may invent citations, misstate facts, or confidently link to sources that don’t exist. The intent is to help, but the result can still be wrong.

Real AI literacy looks more like this:

• You treat AI as a draft partner, not a final authority
  
• You verify facts, sources, and figures, especially for reports or research
  
• You recognise hallucination and know when something sounds off
  
• You refine outputs, asking for summaries, bullet points, or a clearer structure
  
• You apply judgement instead of copying and pasting results as is.
  

Many people think AI saves time by doing the thinking for them. In reality, it saves time when you guide the thinking. Without that step, AI just creates more content to sift through.

So how are Singaporeans actually applying these tools today, and which uses go beyond surface-level experimentation?

How Singaporeans Are Actually Using AI Tools

AI use in Singapore isn’t just growing; it’s diversifying. Prabhjit shared on CNA938 how learners are applying tools in practical, often surprising ways. 

Everyday use cases include:

• Scriptwriting for short videos or training materials
  
• Client proposals and internal reports
  
• Research summaries for business, school, or personal learning
  
• Presentation decks, built from rough outlines
  
• Short video production, combining script, visuals, and edits, often in under a day
  

Rather than replacing work, these tools give users a head start. It’s no longer about asking AI one question. It’s about applying multiple tools in a workflow that actually saves time.

AI Tools to Watch in 2026

While most users start with ChatGPT, more are exploring tools tailored for specific tasks. Some of the most widely adopted tools in Singapore include:

• Gemini (by Google): Great for rewriting, summarising, and editing
  
• Claude (by Anthropic): Best for clear reasoning and formal workplace content
  
• Perplexity: Powerful for research and fact-checked responses
  
• Gamma: Turns content into clean, ready-to-share slides
  
• Sora, Lumen5, and others: Used for fast, AI-powered video creation
  

Tool selection depends on the task, and users who understand when to switch tools tend to get better, faster results. As more options roll out in 2026, being comfortable with multiple platforms will be a clear advantage.

These patterns reveal a lot, but they’re not random. How someone uses AI often comes down to one thing: their age group.

What Age Groups Are Getting Right (and Wrong)

How people use AI often depends on their stage in life. According to Prabhjit, the learners he meets at Vertical Institute generally fall into three distinct groups, each with its own strengths and blind spots.

Young Adults: Curious but Shortcut-Prone

Younger users, especially students and early-career professionals, are often the most enthusiastic experimenters. They quickly and creatively dive into content generation tools.

What they get right:

• Explore multiple AI tools without hesitation
  
• Use AI to generate stories, scripts, and video content
  
• Learn features fast through trial and error
  

What holds them back:

• Rely too heavily on raw outputs without editing
  
• View AI as a shortcut instead of a thinking partner
  
• Struggle to assess credibility or refine tone
  

They may produce content fast, but without careful review, quality suffers.

Working Adults: Practical but Narrow in Tool Use

Professionals tend to use AI for efficiency and productivity, especially in client-facing or admin-heavy tasks.

What they get right:

• Use AI to draft proposals, build decks, and summarise reports
  
• Focus on tangible outcomes tied to work goals
  
• Value time-saving and output consistency
  

What holds them back:

• Often rely solely on ChatGPT
  
• Miss out on tools better suited for reasoning or visuals
  
• Lack confidence to explore advanced AI features
  

They’re goal-focused but often underuse what’s available beyond the basics.

Seniors: Purpose-Driven but Need Guidance

Seniors might start slower, but many have strong personal motivations, from staying connected to family to creating community resources.

What they get right:

• Set meaningful goals before learning tools
  
• Show long-term commitment once supported
  
• Use AI for storytelling, learning, and creativity
  

What holds them back:

• Feel intimidated by new platforms
  
• Worry about “doing it wrong”
  
• Need structured, patient instruction
  

Prabhjit shared that one senior learner built a teaching framework to guide fellow retirees on how to use AI, and that another Malay lady also used AI to generate new recipe ideas simply to explore and experiment. While slower to start, they showed consistent effort and stuck with it.

Each age group shows that effective AI use isn’t about age; it’s about mindset, experimentation, and clarity of purpose.

So what are the most common mistakes people make, and what’s holding others back?

Related Article: Explore the Top SkillsFuture Courses for Senior Citizens 

Common Gaps That Keep Workers Behind

Even with interest and access to tools, many users hit the same wall: they stop experimenting.

From what Prabhjit sees across age groups, these are the most common AI skill gaps:

• Copy-paste behaviour: Users take the AI output and drop it in without edits or checks.
  
• Low confidence: Especially among seniors, where fear of “breaking something” holds them back.
  
• Over-reliance on one tool: usually ChatGPT, ignoring better-fit tools like Claude or Perplexity.
  
• No clear goal: Learning tools without a purpose often lead to giving up early.
  
• Fear of being too late – Some adults assume AI is for younger people or coders, not realising they can start from scratch.
  

Mindset plays a significant role here. Many people think they’re “not techy enough” or that AI is reserved for a particular kind of worker. But the truth is, AI tools are becoming more accessible by the month, and knowing how to use AI well often starts with being willing just to try.

So if you’re ready to get serious, where should you actually start?

Related Article: AI-Powered Skills Gap Analysis: The Essential Guide for HR & L&D Leaders

Finding the Best AI Course for Your Needs

If you’ve never used AI seriously before, starting can feel overwhelming. Should you go straight into a coding-heavy course? Do you need technical experience? Not at all, and that’s one of the biggest misconceptions.

Prabhjit emphasised that learners should look for beginner-friendly, practical training. Courses that focus on real-world use, not just theory, are the best starting point. Whether it’s generating reports, creating images, or summarising documents, the goal is to give you hands-on skills you can use the same day.

Vertical Institute’s approach is structured around that. Whether you’re a working professional or a retiree, the format is clear:

• Start with what you already use (even WhatsApp’s Meta AI is a great entry point)
  
• Learn how to get meaningful output, not just answers
  
• Get guided support from instructors who teach with patience, not jargon
  

If you’re unsure what you want to use AI for, that’s okay. Start small, ask better questions, and let your needs guide the tools you explore. Even just asking Meta AI, “What kind of AI course should I take? ” is a practical first step.

FAQs about how to use AI

Ready to Close Your AI Skills Gap?

If 2025 was the year AI became mainstream, 2026 will be the year it becomes non-negotiable. From seniors to students, more Singaporeans are no longer asking if they should use AI but how to do it better. That starts with the right tools, the right mindset, and the right guidance.

Whether you’re exploring AI for work, education, or personal use, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Vertical Institute’s Generative AI course is built to help you start strong with zero prior experience required.

Choose from online or in-person classes, get support from experienced instructors, and apply what you learn immediately.

Ready to take that first step? Browse our courses and close the gap before the next wave of change hits!