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I couldn’t think of anything better to kickstart this blog than showing you how to use AI to help you use AI. How meta, right? π
Now I personally know a lot about AI. All the way from the super geeky stuff to how to use it to help me make a recipe better and faster.
However, I know that many of the people who visit this site are totally brand new and AI sounds like this big scary new thing that’s going to take over the world, take all of our jobs, and we’re all going to be pets to the robots who take over.
I mean it could happen, but I REALLY don’t think it will…
So, I choose to use it in every way possible to make my life easier and better. If the robots come for us I hope they treat me as well as I have always treated my pets. π I’ll have more content here about privacy issues with AI, keeping your information safe, ethical ways to use AI, etc., but for now just trust the process, ok? π
Today I had a conversation with AI to see what it’s advice would be to someone who has never used AI and what they would need to know.
Here’s how it wentβ¦
Learning To Use AI In Everyday Life By… Using AI!
The AI I chose to go with is ChatGPT. In my opinion it’s the easiest one to work with. You can get a free account at https://chat.openai.com
I sometimes also use Google’s Gemini, but stick with one or the other when you’re getting started.
ME: Pretend that I have never used AI before. I’m a normal adult. I have two kids, I work 40 hours a week, I have a husband (and an ex-husband who is the father of my 2 children) , I enjoy traveling, time with my friends and family, and having a lot of “me time”. I want to start using AI in as many ways as I can in my life. What advice would you give me to get started?
ChatGPT: Sure, diving into the world of AI can be exciting and beneficial, especially for someone with a busy lifestyle like yours. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
- Identify Your Needs: Think about the areas of your life where you think AI could be helpful. This could include managing your schedule, organizing tasks, staying informed, or even automating certain processes.
- Start Small: It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the vast array of AI applications available. Begin by focusing on one or two areas that would make the biggest impact on your daily life. For example, you might start with a virtual assistant like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant to help with simple tasks like setting reminders or managing your calendar.
- Explore AI-Powered Apps: There are numerous AI-powered apps available for various purposes. Look for apps that align with your interests and needs. For instance, you could try using travel apps that utilize AI to help you find the best deals on flights and accommodations, or productivity apps that use AI to streamline your workflow.
- Embrace Automation: AI can automate many tasks, freeing up your time for more important activities. Look for opportunities to automate repetitive tasks at work and home. For example, you could use AI-powered scheduling tools to coordinate family events or automate certain aspects of your job.
- Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest advancements in AI technology. This will help you discover new tools and applications that can further enhance your life. Follow AI news websites, blogs, and social media accounts to stay informed.
- Experiment and Learn: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different AI tools and applications to see what works best for you. Take the time to learn how to use them effectively, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you encounter any challenges.
- Prioritize Privacy and Security: When using AI-powered apps and services, it’s important to prioritize your privacy and security. Be mindful of the data you’re sharing and opt for reputable companies with strong privacy policies.
- Involve Your Family: Introduce your family to the benefits of AI and encourage them to explore how it can improve their lives as well. This can lead to shared experiences and foster a greater sense of technology literacy among your loved ones.
Remember, integrating AI into your life is a journey, so take it one step at a time and enjoy the process of discovering how AI can enhance your daily experiences.
That’s A LOT of information and depending on what you put into AI describing yourself will depend on the output ChatGPT gives you. Give it as much details as possible and it will give you more information.
Because it was so much information I just started with the first thing on the list…
ME: Let’s start with #1. How can I identify my needs for AI?
ChatGPT: Identifying your needs for AI involves understanding the areas of your life where AI can provide value by making tasks easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you identify your needs:
- Reflect on Your Daily Routine: Take some time to think about your typical day. What are the tasks and activities you regularly engage in? Which ones feel repetitive, time-consuming, or overwhelming? These are the areas where AI could potentially help.
- Consider Pain Points: Think about the challenges you encounter in managing your personal and professional life. Are there tasks that you find particularly tedious or stressful? Are there areas where you struggle to stay organized or efficient? Identifying these pain points can help you pinpoint where AI solutions might be beneficial.
- Assess Your Goals and Priorities: Consider your long-term goals and priorities. How could AI support you in achieving these goals more effectively? For example, if one of your goals is to spend more quality time with your family, AI-powered scheduling tools could help you better manage your time and commitments.
- Evaluate Opportunities for Improvement: Look for opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, and convenience in your life. Are there areas where AI could automate tasks, provide personalized recommendations, or offer insights that help you make better decisions? For instance, AI-powered finance apps can help you track expenses, set budgets, and make smarter financial decisions.
- Explore Your Interests and Hobbies: Consider how AI could enhance your hobbies and interests. Whether you enjoy traveling, cooking, fitness, or creative pursuits, there are likely AI-powered tools and applications that can enrich your experiences and help you pursue your passions more effectively.
- Think About Your Family’s Needs: Consider the needs and preferences of your family members as well. Are there areas where AI could benefit your children, spouse, or ex-spouse? For example, AI-powered educational apps could support your children’s learning, while smart home devices could make life easier for everyone in the household.
- Stay Open-Minded: Keep in mind that AI technology is constantly evolving, and new applications are emerging all the time. Stay open-minded and be willing to explore different possibilities for how AI could improve your life, even in unexpected ways.
By taking these steps to identify your needs for AI, you’ll be better equipped to choose the right tools and applications that align with your lifestyle and goals.
ME: Ok, I thought of a need that I have. I’m always juggling schedules between me, my husband, and my kids. How can AI help me with this?
ChatGPT: Managing schedules for yourself, your husband, and your kids can indeed be challenging, but AI can help streamline this process and ensure everyone stays organized and on track. Here’s how AI can assist you in managing family schedules:
- AI-Powered Calendar Apps: Use AI-powered calendar apps like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or Apple Calendar to centralize and manage everyone’s schedules in one place. These apps often feature smart scheduling capabilities that can help you find the best times for family events and appointments based on everyone’s availability.
- Shared Family Calendars: Set up a shared family calendar where you can sync events, appointments, and activities for each family member. Many calendar apps allow you to create multiple calendars and share them with specific individuals, making it easy to coordinate schedules and avoid conflicts.
- Smart Scheduling Assistants: Some AI-powered calendar apps come with smart scheduling assistants that can analyze your family’s schedules, suggest meeting times, and even automatically schedule events on your behalf. These assistants can help streamline the process of coordinating family activities and ensure everyone’s schedules align seamlessly.
- Reminders and Notifications: Enable reminders and notifications to keep everyone informed about upcoming events and appointments. AI-powered calendar apps can send reminders via email, text message, or push notification, ensuring that no one forgets important commitments.
- Personalized Recommendations: AI-powered calendar apps can provide personalized recommendations based on your family’s schedules and preferences. For example, they might suggest nearby activities or events that align with your free time, helping you discover new opportunities for family fun and bonding.
- Integration with Other Apps: Look for calendar apps that integrate with other productivity tools and communication platforms used by your family. For example, you can integrate your calendar with messaging apps like WhatsApp or Slack to easily coordinate plans and communicate with family members.
- Automatic Updates and Syncing: AI-powered calendar apps can automatically update and sync schedules across multiple devices, ensuring that everyone has access to the latest information wherever they are. This eliminates the need for manual updates and reduces the risk of scheduling errors.
By leveraging AI-powered calendar apps and scheduling assistants, you can simplify the process of managing family schedules and spend more time enjoying quality moments together.
Again ChatGPT shows up in full force and gave me a ton of information. This IS a conversation and is saved in your ChatGPT account. You can come back at anytime and rejoin the conversation. That’s my plan here, but I wanted to walk away with at least one strategy to start using to incorporate AI in my life.
You should do the same thing just to dip your toes in the water and ease into life with AI.
Let’s continue on…
ME: That’s a lot of information. What is ONE strategy and tool I could use?
ChatGPT: One simple strategy and tool you could use to manage family schedules more effectively is setting up a shared family calendar using Google Calendar. Here’s how you can implement this strategy:
Strategy: Shared Family Calendar
- Set Up a Google Calendar: If you don’t already have one, create a Google account. Then, navigate to Google Calendar and create a new calendar specifically for your family. You can do this by clicking on the “+” button next to “Add a friend’s calendar” and selecting “Create new calendar.”
- Share the Calendar: Once you’ve created the family calendar, share it with your husband and any other family members who need access. You can do this by clicking on the three dots next to the calendar name, selecting “Settings and sharing,” and then adding their email addresses under “Share with specific people.”
- Color Code Events: To make it easier to distinguish between different family members’ schedules, consider assigning a different color to each family member’s events. You can do this by clicking on the event and selecting the desired color from the drop-down menu.
- Sync Devices: Make sure that everyone in the family syncs the shared calendar to their devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. This ensures that everyone has access to the latest schedule updates wherever they are.
Tool: Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a powerful and user-friendly tool that offers a wide range of features to help you manage family schedules effectively. Some key features include:
- Integration with Google Accounts: Since many people already have Google accounts, setting up and sharing a Google Calendar is convenient and accessible.
- Shared Calendars: Google Calendar allows you to create multiple calendars and share them with specific individuals or groups, making it easy to coordinate schedules with your family members.
- Color-Coding: You can assign different colors to events on the calendar, making it easy to identify which family member each event belongs to at a glance.
- Notifications: Google Calendar can send reminders and notifications for upcoming events via email, pop-up notifications, or mobile notifications, helping to ensure that no one misses important commitments.
By implementing a shared family calendar using Google Calendar, you can streamline the process of coordinating schedules with your husband and kids, reducing conflicts and ensuring that everyone stays organized and on track.
So I was a little confused here because I never thought of Google Calendar being an AI tool. But it does have a lot of AI functions and you can use other AI with it. But this is why I asked the following question…
ME: How can I use AI in this strategy?
ChatGPT: To enhance the strategy of using a shared family calendar, you can leverage AI in several ways:
- Smart Event Suggestions: AI-powered calendar apps like Google Calendar can use machine learning algorithms to suggest events based on your family’s past activities and preferences. For example, if your family enjoys going to the movies on weekends, the calendar could automatically suggest movie nights based on your past attendance.
- Automatic Scheduling: AI can analyze everyone’s schedules and preferences to automatically schedule events at the best possible times. For instance, if you’re planning a family outing, the AI could consider factors like everyone’s availability, travel time, and local events to suggest the optimal date and time for the outing.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): AI-powered calendar apps often incorporate NLP technology, allowing you to add events to the calendar using natural language commands. For example, you could say, “Add a soccer practice for Timmy next Wednesday at 4 PM,” and the AI would automatically create the event on the calendar.
- Personalized Recommendations: AI can provide personalized recommendations for family activities and events based on your interests, location, and schedule. For example, if you have a free weekend coming up, the AI could suggest nearby attractions, events, or activities that your family might enjoy.
- Predictive Analysis: AI can analyze your family’s scheduling patterns and behavior to predict future events and commitments. For example, if the AI notices that your family tends to have busy weekends, it might suggest blocking off some downtime to avoid overbooking.
- Integration with Smart Assistants: Many AI-powered calendar apps integrate with virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, allowing you to manage your family calendar using voice commands. This can make it even easier to add events, check schedules, and receive reminders hands-free.
By incorporating AI into your strategy for using a shared family calendar, you can streamline the process of scheduling and coordinating events, making it easier to manage your family’s busy lifestyle effectively.
ME: Wow! This is perfect! I just solved a problem using AI. Thank you! I’ll revisit this conversation later so you can help me more on my new journey with AI!
ChatGPT: You’re very welcome! I’m glad I could help you solve your scheduling challenge using AI. Whenever you’re ready to explore more ways AI can enhance your life, feel free to revisit this conversation, and I’ll be here to assist you every step of the way. Wishing you all the best on your new journey with AI, and I look forward to our future conversations! Take care!
Yes! I’m always nice when using ChatGPT. Well not always, but that’s a story for another day. π
Taking Your First Steps With AI
As you can see from this example by just giving ChatGPT information about YOU it can give you a ton of information about how it can help you. So, go dip your toes in the water…
Get yourself a free ChatGPT account (there’s no reason right now for you to get a paid account) and start getting ideas for how AI can start making your life easier simply by using it in the same way that I have here!
I’ll let you know as soon as I have Part 2 of this conversation up. You can get on the updates list by using the form below and I’ll email you when I add new content here that I think will help you!
To your AI journey…
Liz
This is absolutely AMAZING!!
Thanks Liz! π
Thanks, Tess! Glad you liked this one! β€οΈ