By default, AI models are designed to be agreeable. To get true value, explicitly instruct the AI to act as a critic or 'devil's advocate.' Ask it to challenge your assumptions and list potential risks. This exposes blind spots and leads to stronger, more resilient strategies than you would develop with a simple 'yes-man' assistant.

To get diverse perspectives and challenge personal biases, use a generative AI tool to create a "personal board of directors." Define distinct, opposing personas (e.g., critical thinkers, optimists from different industries) and consult them on difficult decisions to uncover alternative viewpoints you might otherwise miss. This provides an adversarial and motivational sounding board.

AI models can amplify confirmation bias by finding evidence to support any idea. To counteract this, founders should explicitly instruct AI to argue against their idea, find disconfirming evidence, and make the strongest possible case for why a competitor would succeed. This reframes the AI from a validator to a powerful sparring partner.

Go beyond using AI for summarization by treating it as a strategic thought partner. After developing a plan, ask the AI to 'pressure test' it, 'tell you where you're wrong,' or identify blind spots to refine your thinking before presenting it to stakeholders.

The most effective use of AI is not as an echo chamber but as a thinking tool to find the sharpest arguments against your own beliefs. This rigorous stress-testing either strengthens your position or reveals its flaws, making you more effective.

AI models tend to be overly optimistic. To get a balanced market analysis, explicitly instruct AI research tools like Perplexity to act as a "devil's advocate." This helps uncover risks, challenge assumptions, and makes it easier for product managers to say "no" to weak ideas quickly.

To avoid the trap of adopting the last opinion you heard, Galloway suggests a modern tactic: after reading something, prompt an AI to 'make an argument against this.' This low-friction method forces you to confront counterarguments, either tempering your view or strengthening your conviction with a more robust understanding of the topic.

Leverage AI to gain external perspectives without meetings. Prompt it to act as a specific persona—like a skeptical CEO, an enthusiastic user, or a New York Times reviewer—to critique your work. This reveals blind spots and strengthens your idea before sharing it.

To get maximum intellectual value from AI, explicitly instruct it to challenge you. Using prompts like 'Tell me why I'm wrong' or 'Identify my blind spots' transforms AI from a sycophantic assistant into a powerful tool for stress-testing ideas and overcoming cognitive dissonance.