Short on time? Get the quick version.
AI can do more in 60 seconds than you can do manually in an hour. That's the upside, and it's also exactly why you need one setting turned on before you touch anything else. In this Hot Takes episode, Nathan Jackson, VP of AI at Rentvine, shares takeaways from his session with Todd Orscheid at our BeHerd user conference, and why planning mode is the single most important habit for anyone using AI tools today.
What we learned at BeHerd
Todd Orscheid is an inspiration to a lot of people because he's done so much so quickly. He looks at a problem, sees 25 different ways to solve it, and asks where he could save $500 by vibe coding his way out of it. He pushes the edge in ways that would make plenty of people nervous.
After the session, property managers came up with the same question: how do I even get started with AI? Our biggest takeaway for them was simple. Be cautious. Be careful.
What planning mode does
Planning mode is available in Cursor, Claude Desktop, and Claude Cowork. When it's on, the tool tells you everything it's going to do before it does anything. You can usually toggle it on in the bottom right-hand corner of your chat window. It gives you a detailed outline of the plan, and nothing happens until you say go.
Why it matters more with APIs
In 60 seconds, an AI tool can do far more than you could by clicking through a system one lever and button at a time. That speed is powerful. It also means AI tools tied to APIs can take drastic actions very quickly, and some of those actions can't be undone. A quick look at the plan first is the best safeguard you have.
How to get started safely
- Turn on planning mode before you let AI take action.
- Talk to someone experienced, like Todd, and ask what they'd recommend.
- Start small, and do your research online to keep yourself safe.
- Always know what a tool is about to do before it does it.
That's why we encourage everyone using AI with Rentvine to be careful. Number one: planning mode.
