Artificial intelligence isn’t just transforming business. It’s quietly reshaping how people job-hunt, write emails, plan schedules, and manage the chaos of daily life.
For Rose Salem-Tilford, founder and CEO of 360 Business Coach and creator of AI Rose, that shift began early.
“You know, it’s funny,” she says. “It clicked for me right away. I think I started using it in February of 2023.”
At first, Salem-Tilford leaned on AI to speed up business communication by having it craft emails, shape marketing strategy, and develop content for clients. Soon she realized it could help with research, scheduling, and planning. She still checks everything for accuracy, she says, but AI has become a powerful assistant woven into her workflow.
“Over time, AI basically made its way into every part of my life,” she says. “I use it on a daily basis.”
Once she became comfortable with AI for business, she started experimenting with personal tasks. She’s not a fan of list-making, so she asked ChatGPT to generate a grocery list and even a recipe for chicken wings. That wing recipe, she says, saved her in a pinch and is now a crowd favorite among friends and family.
Mastering the Art of the Prompt
For all its promise, Salem-Tilford stresses that AI only works as well as the instructions you give it.
“Prompting is really the key,” she says. “People say garbage in, garbage out. That’s exactly what it is with AI. If you don’t give it the right information, you’ll get garbage. You have to be very precise.”
AI can also misinterpret broad questions. Ask how many small businesses were created last year and it may not know whether you mean in New York State, across the U.S., or globally. The more specific the request, the better the answer. Sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right, and double-checking results is always important.
“It’s about knowing how to direct AI tools to use them efficiently,” she says. “Prompting, automation, and tool integration will be the new workplace fundamentals.”
Different AI tools also excel at different tasks, she adds. Beyond ChatGPT, platforms such as DeepSeek, Grok, Gemini, and Lumen5 each bring strengths in research, imagery, video, or writing. In 2025, Salem-Tilford took this a step further by creating the first AI business coach powered by IBM WatsonX.
Meet AI Rose
Salem-Tilford’s platform, AI Rose, is built on principles of positive action-based coaching.
“She’s not just a business coach; she’s your everyday coach,” she says.
AI Rose delivers real-time, hyper-personalized coaching through a lifelike avatar. The platform is powered by IBM WatsonX, allowing it to draw on advanced business research and insights tailored specifically for entrepreneurs.
Unlike traditional chatbots, AI Rose runs privately through IBM Watson and is designed entirely for business owners. “People ask, ‘What’s the difference?’ Well, huge difference,” she says. “Her information is curated only for entrepreneurs and businesses.”
Clients can ask the avatar for targeted advice, strategic guidance, or help brainstorming long-term plans. Salem-Tilford sees it as a tool that supports, not replaces, human insight.
Building Confidence at Work
Employers are increasingly expecting workers to understand the basics of AI. Salem-Tilford suggests business owners can help their teams adapt by introducing AI in simple, low-pressure ways.
“I would definitely start with one tool,” she says. “If you’re comfortable with one, you won’t mind trying the others. AI is supposed to help us do things we don’t really like to do.”
And for those who insist they’ve never used AI, Salem-Tilford gently disagrees. Most people interact with it every day through tools like Google, Alexa, and Siri without even knowing.
While AI may seem intimidating, she believes the best way to learn is simply to begin. The more users experiment and adjust their strategies, the better results they’ll get.
“If companies make AI easy and accessible, something that makes employees’ lives better, then who wouldn’t want to use it? But if you make it seem like you’re taking something away from them, then no, they’re not going to want to use it.”
In the next five years, she predicts that people will use AI like a personal assistant to help manage workflows, coordinate tasks, and even integrate multiple AI tools to collaborate. For entrepreneurs, that means far less time spent on busywork and more time devoted to creativity and innovation.
“AI will become as natural and necessary as having a smartphone,” she says. “And those who embrace it early will have a massive advantage.”
Next Steps
Looking for a job? Here are some practical tips for how to use AI to help you, without losing your voice in the process.
Test your AI savvy with a free digital literacy assessment or take a free Career Center workshop to improve your tech skills.
Related: Westchester Businesses Welcome Artificial Intelligence
