Pollinger AI

21/10/2026

A recent Claude update worth understanding: Haiku 5.5, announced on 7 October, is designed for quick, repetitive work such as summaries and categorising information.

It also introduces an adjustable effort setting to the Haiku range. That gives developers another way to balance capability, speed and cost.

My practical takeaway: choose the model around the task.

Sorting routine enquiries and assessing an ambiguous business proposal need different tests. Try representative examples and check accuracy, review time and cost before adopting a new approach.

Anthropic’s announcement:
https://www.anthropic.com/claude-haiku-5-5

Helping teams make those decisions is part of my AI consultancy. Which recurring task would you most like to improve?

20/10/2026

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot or Grok...where do you start?

Start with the job you need to do.

I’ve added an AI Tool Chooser to my website to help you work through that decision. Four questions cover your task, where the information comes from, the information you’ll use and the access you want to explore.

In about two minutes, you can get a practical starting point, with plan guidance and checks to make before relying on the result. There’s also a reusable prompt using Pollinger’s Prompt Pillars to help you compare tools on the same task.

It’s a guide, not a universal ranking. Your organisation’s approved tools and your account’s capabilities still matter.

Try it with one real task on your to-do list:
https://www.pollinger.ai/ai-tool-chooser

Which tool does it suggest you test first?

19/10/2026

When AI says “I’m sorry”, what does that actually tell us?

An apology isn’t a measurement of remorse. And recognising an ethical rule doesn’t guarantee that an AI system will follow it.

In my latest blog, I explore AI consciousness, feelings and rights. I remain sceptical that today’s assistants are conscious, while keeping an open mind about what future evidence might show.

For businesses, there’s a practical lesson here: judge systems by their behaviour. Limit their access, check consequential actions and make sure a person remains accountable.

A convincing conversation is no substitute for safeguards.

Read the article:
https://www.pollinger.ai/blog/ai-consciousness-feelings-ethics-rights

Where do you draw the line between useful conversational language and treating AI as though it has feelings?

If your team needs help putting sensible AI boundaries into practice, book 15 minutes with me: https://www.pollinger.ai/appointments

16/10/2026

If you work in a charity, finding another AI idea probably isn’t the difficult bit. Finding time to try it properly can be.

My latest blog suggests a manageable first month: choose one recurring task, agree who checks the work, then review whether the approach actually helps.

A meeting briefing or supporter update could be a useful starting point. Use approved material and include checking time when assessing any saving.

The aim is to give your team more time for people.

Read the practical plan:
https://www.pollinger.ai/blog/seo-title-ai-for-charities-a-practical-f

I offer training and consultancy to help charities put useful ideas into practice.

Book 15 minutes with me: https://www.pollinger.ai/appointments

15/10/2026

A useful AI habit: describe the result you need before telling it how to get there.

“Help with my report” leaves plenty to guess.

“Identify the three findings that should influence our next decision. Explain each one and point to the supporting evidence” gives it a clearer destination.

That’s the Goal in Pollinger’s Prompt Pillars. Add Context, Persona, Tone, Specifics and Examples so AI understands the job.

It’s the kind of practical approach I help teams apply to their own work in my AI training.

Want to work out where your team could start?

Book 15 minutes with me: https://www.pollinger.ai/appointments

12/10/2026

Ever read a page of advice and thought, “Could you just show me?” 😄

ChatGPT’s new Intelligent UI can bring diagrams, visual comparisons and interactive tools into the conversation.

Here’s a business example to try:

“Act as an operations adviser to a fictional small business. Customer enquiries arrive in a shared inbox, the manager assigns someone to reply, and follow-up happens when someone remembers. Show this process and a proposed improvement as clear diagrams with short explanations. Suggest who owns each step. Use plain British English and mark new responsibilities as proposals.”

Then ask what happens when the manager is away.

Seeing the gaps can make it easier to agree what needs changing. Check the suggestions with your team before adopting them.

Try it in Chat with GPT-6 Sol or Luna, subject to rollout and workspace settings.

Practical examples like this are at the heart of my Pollinger AI training.

What would you ask AI to help you understand visually?

Feature details:
https://openai.com/index/gpt-6-for-everyone/

08/10/2026

A funding application to finish. Meeting notes to sort out. A newsletter that still needs writing.

Sound familiar to anyone working or volunteering for a charity?

If you’d like to try AI but aren’t sure where to start, my latest blog sets out a practical first-month plan.

Start with one regular task. Try using AI to prepare a meeting briefing, organise the agreed actions or draft a supporter update from information you’ve already checked.

Then see what actually helped. Include the time spent checking and correcting the result, and keep a person responsible for anything you send or share.

The aim is to make more time for the people your charity supports.

Here’s the guide:
https://www.pollinger.ai/blog/seo-title-ai-for-charities-a-practical-f

Want my Charity AI Cheat Sheet, or some practical training for your team? Drop me a message.

A practical first-month guide to AI for charities. Choose a useful task, test meeting briefs and supporter updates, and keep people responsible for decisions.

03/10/2026

One more sleep. And just £54 to go! 🏃‍♂️

Tomorrow morning I’ll be on the start line of the Cardiff Half Marathon, running 13.1 miles for Age Connects Cardiff & the Vale, a charity I’m proud to volunteer with.

My fundraising target is £500 and, incredibly, I’m now just £54 short.

So this is my final shameless sponsorship push! If a few people can spare a fiver or a tenner, we might just get there before I cross the start line.

👉 https://www.justgiving.com/page/jonathan-pollinger-2026

As for the race itself…there’ll be no taking it easy.

I’ll be leaving everything on the roads of Cardiff trying to beat my course PB and, hopefully, my lifetime half marathon PB too.

🎯 Target: sub 1:34.

If you want to follow the action tomorrow:

📱 Track me live: Download the Run 4 Wales app and search for race number 22500.

📺 Watch live: The race is being streamed on the Run 4 Wales and European Athletics YouTube channels, including coverage from around the course and the finish line.

📺 TV highlights: Monday 5 October at 10.05pm on S4C, with coverage also available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.

The race starts at 10am.

Thanks so much to everyone who's sponsored me, shared the posts, sent messages or offered encouragement. It genuinely means a lot.

Now there’s just one job left.

Run as fast as I possibly can. 💪

03/10/2026

Tomorrow’s the day!

13.1 miles around Cardiff, as fast as I can, for Age Connects Cardiff & the Vale.

I’ll give it everything. Looking graceful is optional. 😅

As a volunteer befriender with the charity, I know how much a regular chat and a friendly face can mean to someone who feels lonely or isolated.

If you can spare a few pounds, I’d really appreciate your sponsorship. You’ll be helping older people in Cardiff and the Vale feel valued and connected.

Please sponsor me here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/jonathan-pollinger-2026

Many thanks to everyone who’s already donated or shared my posts. It means a lot.

27/09/2026

Ever stood in front of a washing machine thinking, “What does that flashing symbol actually mean?” 😄

Here’s a practical use for AI: show it what’s happening while you talk through the problem.

In ChatGPT’s phone app, select Advanced under Settings → Voice, start a voice conversation and tap the camera button. Video is available to eligible subscribers, with usage limits.

Point your camera at the controls and try:

“Act as a patient appliance support assistant. My washing machine won’t start. Ask me for the make and model, then help me work through basic checks using the manufacturer’s instructions. Explain things in plain English, one step at a time, and wait for my reply. Start with simple possibilities, such as the child lock. Don’t guess what an unfamiliar symbol means or suggest dismantling anything.”

The useful bit is being able to ask, “Do you mean this button?” while showing it exactly what you’re looking at.

It could help you understand a setting, spot something you’ve overlooked or explain the problem more clearly to a repair service.

AI can make mistakes, so check its advice against the manual and leave electrical repairs to a qualified professional.

Which appliance in your home requires the most negotiation?