The 12 mental models

The complete framework from Artificial Leverage. These 12 models are the foundation for mastering frontier AI.

The Conversation Model

AI responds to conversation, not commands. This changes how you structure requests.

The Context Window

Every model has a limit to how much information it can hold at once. Understanding and using this is critical.

The Persona Effect

Telling AI who to be dramatically improves output quality and consistency.

The Chain of Thought

Breaking complex tasks into steps allows AI to reason better and avoid errors.

The Feedback Loop

Iterative refinement turns good outputs into excellent outputs through repeated cycles.

The Automation Mindset

Distinguishing what AI should do versus what requires human judgment is the key to leverage.

The Model Landscape

Different models have different strengths. Choosing the right tool for the task matters enormously.

The Temperature Dial

Controlling randomness and creativity in outputs through temperature and sampling parameters.

The Scaffolding Principle

Structuring complex problems as sequences of smaller, structured problems AI can solve.

The Verification Habit

Building verification into every workflow because AI makes confident mistakes regularly.

The Delegation Framework

A structured approach to deciding what to delegate to AI and maintaining accountability.

The Acceleration Curve

Understanding exponential improvement in AI capabilities and what it means for your skills.

How they work together

These 12 models are not isolated concepts. They form an integrated system. The Conversation Model tells you how to talk to AI. The Context Window explains what information fits in that conversation. The Persona Effect shows how to structure that information. The Chain of Thought breaks complex problems down. The Feedback Loop refinement them.

The Automation Mindset decides what problems are worth delegating. The Model Landscape helps you choose which AI to use. The Verification Habit keeps you safe. The Delegation Framework manages accountability. The Temperature Dial controls behaviour. The Scaffolding Principle structures large problems. The Acceleration Curve prepares you for what comes next.