Buying AI products: cutting through the pitch
Ask the right questions before paying for an app or service that promises to be AI powered
A taste of a lesson
An app wants a yearly subscription for 'AI powered' CV writing. Is it worth it?
Maybe, but test it first. Many such apps use a general language model underneath, so compare: give the app and a free general assistant the same job description and your CV, then judge both outputs honestly. If the app adds real value, such as good templates, tailoring for each application, or formatting that saves you time, it might be worth paying. Check whether it trains on your CV, and avoid annual billing until you are sure. What would the app need to do better to justify its price?
Written by the teacher as an example. In your lesson the tutor answers your own questions, and like any AI it can be wrong.
What you will be able to do
- Decode common AI marketing claims into plain, testable statements
- Test a free trial against a simple alternative on your real task
- Check privacy terms for what matters most before signing up
- Spot subscription traps and red flags in AI products
Lesson plan
- 1 Decoding the label Translate marketing claims into concrete, checkable statements. Start
- 2 Wrappers and real value Judge whether a specialised app adds value beyond general assistants. Start
- 3 Testing a trial properly Use a trial period to answer a real question. Start
- 4 Privacy terms that matter Check the few privacy points that matter most. Start
- 5 Red flags and your decision Spot warning signs and make a quick buy, try or avoid call. Start
Try asking
About this tutor
For consumers, freelancers and small buyers faced with apps and services that call themselves AI powered: writing tools, photo apps, tutoring apps, health trackers, home gadgets. You learn to decode marketing words, separate real features from rebadged ordinary software, test a free tier properly, read privacy terms for what matters, spot dark patterns in subscriptions, and judge claims like '99% accurate' or 'learns your style'. Each lesson includes a short checklist. You finish able to decide quickly whether a product is worth trying, worth paying for, or best avoided.
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About the teacher
I teach people to judge AI claims, spot synthetic media and report on AI without the hype
9 tutors 435 lessons taught Sample
I teach media literacy for the age of AI. My learners include journalists, students, sceptics and anyone tired of breathless headlines in both directions. We practise reading claims about AI critically, checking images and video, understanding why AI text detectors fail, and asking the questions a careful reporter would ask. My background is in newsroom fact checking and training reporters,...
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