How can AI help me brainstorm solutions?

AI is excellent at generating options when you're trying to solve a problem. It can suggest approaches you might not have considered, help you think through a problem from different angles, and quickly generate multiple possibilities so you can evaluate which ones might work for your situation.

How does AI help when I'm stuck on a problem?

When you're facing a problem and not sure how to solve it, AI helps you break out of limited thinking by suggesting possibilities you might not have imagined on your own.

AI prompt: "I'm trying to reduce my monthly expenses by $500. I've already cut back on eating out. What other approaches could I take?"

AI suggests multiple categories to explore: subscription services you might not be using, negotiating existing bills (internet, phone, insurance), changing shopping habits, transportation costs (carpooling, public transit), energy usage at home, refinancing debt, or finding ways to increase income instead of just cutting expenses.

This gives you a broader menu of options to consider instead of fixating on one approach that might not get you there.

What if I have a general problem but don't know where to start?

AI helps you clarify the problem and identify different solution paths.

AI prompt: "My team keeps missing project deadlines and I'm not sure why. Can you help me think through possible causes and solutions?"

AI breaks down potential root causes: unclear project scopes, unrealistic timeline estimates, too many simultaneous projects, communication issues, resource constraints, unclear priorities, or lack of accountability. For each cause, AI can suggest corresponding solutions.

You can then dig deeper into the causes that resonate with your situation.

AI prompt: "The issue seems to be unrealistic timeline estimates. We always think things will take less time than they actually do. How can we fix this?"

AI suggests specific approaches: build in buffer time systematically, track actual vs. estimated time on recent projects to identify patterns, break work into smaller chunks that are easier to estimate accurately, involve the people doing the work in estimation, or use past similar projects as reference points.

Now you have concrete techniques to try rather than just knowing "we're bad at estimates."

Can AI help me think creatively about solutions?

Yes—AI can suggest unconventional approaches or help you combine ideas in new ways.

AI prompt: "I want to get better at Spanish but I've tried apps and classes and they haven't stuck. What are some non-traditional ways to learn a language?"

AI suggests approaches beyond standard methods: change your phone/computer language settings to Spanish, watch TV shows you already love dubbed in Spanish, find a language exchange partner online, follow Spanish-speaking creators on social media, label objects in your house with Spanish words, think through your daily routine in Spanish, or plan a trip where you'll need to use Spanish.

These aren't necessarily better than traditional methods, but they give you different angles to try if conventional approaches haven't worked for you.

How do I narrow down from many options to ones worth trying?

After AI generates multiple possibilities, you can use it to help evaluate which ones might work best for your specific situation.

AI prompt: "You gave me eight different ways to learn Spanish. I work full-time and have about 30 minutes a day I could dedicate to this. Which approaches would work best with that constraint?"

AI narrows the list to options that fit your time availability: changing device language settings (passive, no extra time), watching one dubbed episode during dinner (combines with existing activity), or following Spanish social media (fits into existing scroll time). It explains why the other options (like language exchange partners) might require more dedicated time blocks.

This helps you focus on solutions that actually fit your life rather than ideal solutions that won't happen.

What if AI's suggestions don't quite fit my situation?

Use AI's suggestions as starting points and adapt them to your specific context.

AI prompt: "The idea of watching TV in Spanish is interesting, but I mostly watch news and documentaries, not shows with dubbing. How could I adapt this approach?"

AI suggests modifications: watch Spanish-language news channels (many available free online), find Spanish documentaries on topics you care about, watch English documentaries with Spanish subtitles first, then progress to Spanish audio with Spanish subtitles, or listen to Spanish-language podcasts about topics you follow.

The core idea (consuming media in Spanish) stays the same, but now it fits what you actually watch.

Can AI help me brainstorm solutions for interpersonal problems?

AI can suggest approaches for relationship or communication challenges, though you'll need to adapt suggestions to the specific people and dynamics involved.

AI prompt: "My roommate is very messy and it's bothering me, but I don't want to create conflict. How can I address this?"

AI suggests different approaches: direct conversation framing it as 'I' statements about your needs, proposing a cleaning schedule together, dividing spaces clearly (their mess stays in their areas), suggesting a cleaning service split between you, or adjusting your own expectations about shared spaces.

Each approach has different tradeoffs in terms of directness, cost, and likely outcomes. You know your roommate and can judge which might work.

AI prompt: "They're pretty conflict-avoidant, so a direct conversation might make things worse. What's a low-confrontation way to approach this?"

AI adjusts its suggestions: propose the cleaning schedule as a practical system rather than a criticism, frame a cleaning service as a convenience rather than fixing their mess, or focus on specific high-impact items (like kitchen/bathroom) rather than everything.

Now you have options tailored to the dynamic you're actually dealing with.

How do I know if a solution will actually work?

AI can help you think through potential outcomes and risks before you try something.

AI prompt: "If I propose a cleaning schedule to my roommate, what could go wrong and how should I handle it?"

AI identifies potential issues: they might agree but not follow through (you'd need to decide how to address that), they might feel criticized (frame it as a system, not a personal attack), they might propose something you find insufficient (be ready to negotiate), or they might have different cleanliness standards (you may need to find middle ground).

Thinking through these scenarios helps you prepare rather than being caught off guard.

Tools for brainstorming

General AI chat tools like ChatGPT or Claude work well for brainstorming. You don't need specialized tools for most problem-solving.

The key is having a back-and-forth conversation where you can refine AI's suggestions based on your specific constraints and context.

Important reminders

AI generates possibilities, but you evaluate which ones might actually work for your situation. AI doesn't know your specific constraints, relationships, resources, or priorities—you do.

The goal isn't to find the "perfect" solution from AI. It's to expand your thinking so you can see more options and then choose what makes sense to try.

Not every problem needs brainstorming. Sometimes you already know what you need to do and just need to do it. Use AI when you're genuinely stuck or want to make sure you're not missing good options.

AI's suggestions are starting points. You'll almost always need to adapt them to your specific situation, and that adaptation is where your judgment matters most.