0.2 Essential Setup (Free Tier Start)¶

Time to build your AI toolkit! This section transforms your computer into a powerful AI development environment. Every step is designed for absolute beginners - no technical experience required.

Why This Setup Matters¶

Think of this setup like organizing a workshop. A carpenter needs the right tools accessible and organized to build furniture efficiently. Similarly, AI-powered work requires the right digital tools properly configured.

What you're building: - Your AI account dashboard (like having multiple expert consultants on speed dial) - A command-line interface (like having a direct line to your computer's capabilities) - A text editor that AI systems can work with (like having a shared workspace) - Version control (like having unlimited "undo" for your projects)

Creating Your AI Accounts¶

AI Platform Setup Guide¶

We'll set up accounts on the "Big Three" AI platforms that complement each other perfectly:

Why These Three? - Claude: Best for analysis, reasoning, and working with documents - ChatGPT: Strong general capabilities and widely supported integrations - Gemini: Excellent for research and integrated with Google services

1. Anthropic Account for Claude¶

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Visit claude.ai
2. Click "Sign Up" in the top right corner
3. Choose your signup method:
4. Email address (recommended for beginners)
5. Google account (convenient if you use Gmail)
6. Apple account (for Mac users)
7. Verify your email address through the confirmation link
8. Complete the brief welcome survey (helps Claude understand your use case)

Help me understand what makes a good AI prompt. Give me 3 examples:
one bad example, one good example, and one excellent example.
Explain why each example works or doesn't work.

2. OpenAI Account for ChatGPT¶

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Visit chat.openai.com
2. Click "Sign up"
3. Create account with:
4. Email address and password, OR
5. Google/Microsoft account
6. Verify email address
7. Set up two-factor authentication (strongly recommended):
8. Go to Settings → Security
9. Follow the authenticator app setup process

I'm new to AI and want to automate some of my work tasks.
Ask me 5 questions to understand my work better, then suggest
one specific AI automation I could start with this week.

3. Google Account for Gemini¶

If you already have a Google account: 1. Visit gemini.google.com 2. Sign in with your Google account 3. Accept the Gemini terms of service 4. Complete the setup process

If you need a new Google account: 1. Visit accounts.google.com 2. Click "Create account" → "Personal" 3. Fill out the registration form 4. Verify phone number 5. Navigate to gemini.google.com

Research the latest trends in AI automation for small businesses.
Create a summary with 5 key trends, why each matters,
and one specific tool or platform for each trend.

4. GitHub Account (Essential for AI Tools)¶

GitHub hosts most AI tools, code samples, and integrations you'll use throughout this course.

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Visit github.com
2. Click "Sign up"
3. Enter username (suggestion: use your real name or professional handle)
4. Use the same email address as your AI accounts
5. Choose a strong password
6. Verify your account through email
7. Complete the welcome survey (select interests related to AI/automation)

Essential Tools Installation¶

Mac Setup: Built-in Terminal + Homebrew¶

Macs come with excellent command-line tools built-in. We'll enhance them with Homebrew, the standard Mac package manager.

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Open Terminal:
2. Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight
3. Type "Terminal" and press Enter

4. Pin to Dock for easy access

5. Install Homebrew (Package Manager): Copy and paste this command into Terminal:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   

6. Follow Installation Prompts:

7. Press Enter when prompted
8. Enter your Mac password when requested

9. Wait for installation (5-10 minutes)

10. Verify Installation:

    brew --version
    

    You should see version information.

Installing Git (Version Control for Everyone)¶

Git tracks changes to your files and lets you download AI tools from GitHub. Think of it as "unlimited undo" for your projects.

Windows (WSL) Installation:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Mac Installation:

brew install git

Verify Installation (Both Platforms):

git --version

Basic Git Configuration: Run these commands with your information:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Command Line Basics for AI Work¶

Now let's learn the essential commands that unlock AI tool capabilities. Master these 5 commands and you'll be ready for 90% of AI tool installations and usage.

Understanding the Command Line Interface¶

What it looks like:

your-username@computer-name:~/current-folder$

This is called a "prompt" - it's waiting for your command.

Parts Explained: - your-username: Your account name - computer-name: Your computer's name - ~/current-folder: Where you are in the file system - $: Indicates you can type a command

The Essential Five Commands¶

1. pwd - "Print Working Directory" (Where Am I?)¶

What it does: Shows your current location in the file system

Example:

pwd

Real-world use: Before installing AI tools, confirm you're in the right folder

2. ls (Mac/Linux) or dir (Windows) - List Contents¶

What it does: Shows files and folders in your current location

Examples:

ls                    # Basic listing
ls -la                # Detailed listing with hidden files

Real-world use: See what files are available before working with AI tools

3. cd - "Change Directory" (Move Around)¶

What it does: Moves you to different folders

Examples:

cd Documents          # Move to Documents folder
cd ..                 # Move up one level
cd ~                  # Go to home folder
cd /                  # Go to root folder

Real-world use: Navigate to where you store AI projects and data

4. mkdir - "Make Directory" (Create Folders)¶

What it does: Creates new folders

Examples:

mkdir ai-projects                    # Create one folder
mkdir -p ai-projects/data/csv       # Create nested folders

Real-world use: Organize your AI work into logical project structures

5. cp (Mac/Linux) or copy (Windows) - Copy Files¶

What it does: Copies files and folders

Examples:

cp file.txt backup-file.txt         # Copy file
cp -r folder/ backup-folder/        # Copy folder and contents

Real-world use: Backup important files before AI tools modify them

Practice Exercise: Command Line Confidence Builder¶

Complete this hands-on exercise to build command-line confidence:

Exercise Steps:

1. Open your terminal/command prompt

2. Find your location:

   pwd
   

3. See what's here:

   ls
   

   (or dir on Windows)

4. Create your AI workspace:

   mkdir ai-learning-workspace
   

5. Move into it:

   cd ai-learning-workspace
   

6. Create project structure:

   mkdir data prompts outputs
   

7. Verify your work:

   ls
   

   You should see three folders: data, prompts, outputs

8. Navigate back home:

   cd ~
   

Troubleshooting Common Command Line Issues¶

Checkpoint Exercise: Setup Verification¶

Time to verify your complete AI development environment! This exercise ensures everything is properly configured before moving forward.

Part 1: Account Verification Screenshots¶

Take screenshots showing successful login to each platform:

1. Claude Screenshot:
2. Login to claude.ai
3. Take screenshot showing your username/profile in top-right corner

4. Test with the prompt provided earlier

5. ChatGPT Screenshot:

6. Login to chat.openai.com
7. Take screenshot showing the interface with your account

8. Test with the interactive prompt provided earlier

9. Gemini Screenshot:

10. Login to gemini.google.com
11. Take screenshot showing the interface

12. Test with the research prompt provided earlier

13. GitHub Screenshot:

14. Login to github.com
15. Take screenshot showing your profile/dashboard

Part 2: Tool Verification Checklist¶

Create your first AI project file to verify all tools work together:

1. Open VS Code

2. Create a new file (Ctrl+N or Cmd+N)

3. Save as ai-setup-verification.md in your home directory

4. Copy and paste this template, then fill it out:

# My AI Learning Setup Verification

**Date**: [Today's date]
**Computer**: [Windows/Mac/Linux]

## Account Status

### AI Platform Accounts
- [ ] Claude (Anthropic) - Account created and verified
- [ ] ChatGPT (OpenAI) - Account created and verified
- [ ] Gemini (Google) - Account created and verified
- [ ] GitHub - Account created and verified

### Test Conversations Completed
- [ ] Claude: Tested prompt engineering explanation
- [ ] ChatGPT: Tested interactive work automation planning
- [ ] Gemini: Tested research and trend analysis

## Tool Installation Status

### Essential Tools
- [ ] VS Code installed and configured
- [ ] VS Code extensions installed (Python, Markdown All in One, GitLens, YAML)
- [ ] Command line interface ready (Terminal/WSL)
- [ ] Git installed and configured

### Command Line Verification
- [ ] Can open terminal/command prompt
- [ ] Successfully used `pwd` command
- [ ] Successfully used `ls`/`dir` command
- [ ] Successfully used `cd` command
- [ ] Successfully used `mkdir` command
- [ ] Created ai-learning-workspace folder structure

## First AI Conversation Results

### Most Helpful AI Response
**Platform**: [Claude/ChatGPT/Gemini]
**Prompt**: [What you asked]
**Why it was helpful**: [Your assessment]

### Biggest Setup Challenge
**Issue**: [What was difficult]
**Solution**: [How you solved it or what help you needed]

## Readiness Assessment

**Confidence Level** (1-10 scale):
- Using command line: ___/10
- AI conversation quality: ___/10
- Overall setup readiness: ___/10

**Next Learning Priority**:
[What do you want to focus on in Module 0.3?]

## Notes and Observations
[Any additional thoughts, concerns, or discoveries]

1. Save the file (Ctrl+S or Cmd+S)

2. Take a screenshot of VS Code with your completed verification file

Part 3: Command Line Final Test¶

Open your terminal and run these commands to verify everything works:

# Verify you're in the right place
pwd

# Check your workspace exists
ls ai-learning-workspace

# Verify git works
git --version

# Create a test file
echo "Hello AI World!" > test-file.txt

# Verify the file was created
ls -la test-file.txt

# Clean up
rm test-file.txt

What's Next?¶

You've successfully created your AI command center! In section 0.3, you'll learn how to organize this workspace for maximum AI efficiency, including:

• File naming conventions that AI systems love
• Project organization that scales with complexity
• Working with CSV, JSON, YAML, and Markdown files
• Creating your first structured AI prompt that gets consistent results

The technical foundation is complete - now we'll focus on making it productive and organized.