AI (Artificial Intelligence) has emerged into our world at one of the most tumultuous moments in recent history— The goal of this article series is both focused and deliberate: I will provide a brief history of how AI has entered our world, explain what it is and how it works, explore how to use it, and discuss some of the risks it poses to those who engage with it. As in all my writings, my primary objective is to highlight the responsibility that comes with our decisions and to uncover the deeper motivations behind our ambitions—so that we may advance with AI more wisely.