What Is AI?

Let’s be honest—artificial intelligence, or AI, sounds like something out of a sci-fi series. But in reality, AI is already part of your daily life, often in ways you don’t notice.

At its core, AI is a set of computer programs designed to carry out tasks that usually require human thinking. These tasks can include recognizing speech, predicting patterns, or making decisions. It’s not magic. It’s math and data working behind the scenes to make things more efficient.

If you’ve ever:

• Asked Alexa or Siri for the weather before heading to work,
• Been given a Netflix suggestion that was weirdly precise,
• Had your phone autocorrect a typo,
• Or used Google Maps to reroute around traffic—

Congratulations, you’ve used AI!

Still, many people feel overwhelmed or even a little uneasy when they hear about AI. That’s normal. This technology is changing fast, and it can be hard to keep up. Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a tech genius to understand or use AI wisely. Just a little curiosity (and maybe a guide like this one) can go a long way.

Part 1: Starting with AI — If You’ve Never Used It Before

If you’ve never used AI before, you might be curious about how to use it and where to get started. To spot AI in your personal life, you’ll want to look for features like smart assistants and personal recommendations. If you use Siri, Alexa, or Gemini to answer questions, you’re using AI. They can give you the weather or help plan your day. 

If you use map services like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze, you’re using AI. All these services use artificial intelligence to synthesize information and make it easy and simple for you. 

Simple Ways to Try Out AI Safely

Ready to use AI a bit more intentionally? Here are a few low-stakes, beginner-friendly ways to start:

• ChatGPT or similar tools: Try typing a question. For example, ask, “Give me a 10-minute dinner recipe” or “Help me write a thank-you note.” You don’t need perfect phrasing. Just type as you’d talk. It can be helpful to assign ChatGPT a role you’d like it to fill as you ask your questions. Here’s an example of a prompt. You can have ChatGPT act as a travel agent to help you plan your next family vacation:
  • You are a travel agent, put together a 5-day itinerary for a trip to Seattle for two adults and a five-year-old that includes activities, prices, and restaurants.
• Spellcheck or writing help: Tools like Grammarly use AI to improve grammar, tone, and clarity. You can also use the spell checker or grammar checker features that are included with your writing software.
• Image generators: Some websites can turn words into pictures (great for kids’ birthday invites or fun social posts).

Tips for Staying in Control

It can be helpful to start using AI in low-stakes situations initially. This lets you get a feel for how it works before using it to make larger decisions. You also want to make sure your privacy settings are solid and that you have boundaries around screen time. Remember, AI technology is a tool, but at the end of the day, you are responsible for using it safely. 

Part 2: AI at Work — What’s Changing and What’s Not

There’s a lot of talk about AI replacing jobs. And while some tasks are being automated, most experts agree that—for now—AI is more of a helper than a replacement. Think of it as a smart assistant. It can handle the boring stuff, so you can then focus on the meaningful work.

How to Use AI to Help Your Career

Whether you’re job hunting, switching careers, or just trying to stay ahead, AI can be a powerful tool. You can use AI to help you land your dream job or grow in your current role. Here are three great ways to use AI at work:

• Resume writing tools: AI can help you tailor your resume to specific job postings. You can use tools like Grammarly or ChatGPT to fine-tune your resume for the job you want.
• Job interview practice: If you’re looking for a new job, the interview process can often seem overwhelming. You can use AP to simulate interview questions and offer feedback. Interview Warmup from Google offers free interview practice questions with feedback. And other services simulate interview questions and offer feedback. Other AI programs like Huru and Interview Copilot charge a fee to help you prepare for interviews.
• Skill-building: AI-powered platforms can recommend courses or create personalized learning paths based on your goals. You can tell ChatGPT what you want to learn and ask for a lesson plan and reading material. 

If you’re feeling anxious about job changes, you’re not alone. AI is reshaping work, and that’s bound to be uncomfortable at times. The key is staying adaptable without burning out. You don’t have to master every tool—just stay curious, keep learning, and use technology to your advantage where it makes sense.

Part 3: AI and Your Money

Just like work, another area of life AI affects is your money. AI is being used in banking and money management, and can help you make better budgeting and banking decisions.

AI in Budgeting and Banking

Twenty years ago, you had to organize and categorize your budget by hand. Now, using AI and different budgeting tools, this can be done for you. This can help take some of the guesswork out of budgeting. It can also help you arrive at a more accurate financial picture. The key is that you still need to check your budget to be sure you aren’t overspending.

Another use for AI in banking is through automatic savings tools. Accounts can analyze your spending and move money into savings based on your typical spending habits. This can be helpful because the money is moved, and you don’t even have to think about it.

If you feel confident in your budgeting and spending habits, turn on the automatic savings feature. But remember to check in with your accounts regularly to ensure the setup is working for you.

If you’ve ever had a credit card compromised, chances are AI sent you an unusual spending alert and asked you to verify the charges. AI sends account alerts and can alert you of big or unusual charges. This helps keep your money safe.

Scams and Red Flags

While AI can be a fantastic tool, unfortunately, scammers also know how to use it. And as AI gets more sophisticated, so do scammers. It’s important to keep an eye out to be sure you aren’t taken advantage of. Here are a few things you can look for to keep yourself safe:

• Messages that have misspelled words or don’t make grammatical sense.
• Asking for sensitive personal information like your Social Security Number or account information.
• Pressuring you to act quickly. 
• Asking you for money in ways that you can’t get back. These include gift cards, cryptocurrency payments, wire transfers, or person-to-person transfers.
• Investment opportunities that seem too good to be true.

Ultimately, it can often be hard to distinguish between scammers and real opportunities. If you aren’t sure something is legitimate, pause and take a minute to check outside sources. You can also hang up. Then call your bank or credit card company if you are unsure if they are really the ones reaching out. 

Balance Convenience with Care

AI can be incredibly convenient. But when your financial data is involved, extra caution is smart. Always double-check app permissions, use strong passwords, and check your accounts for anything suspicious. If you aren’t sure, err on the side of caution and hang up the phone or remove the text. 

Part 4: AI in Daily Life — From Groceries to Healthcare

Have you ever googled something because you were curious? Then suddenly, all your social media ads have to do with that topic or item. That’s AI at work. Based on the things you search and engage with online, AI targets ads to keep you engaged and buying. 

To limit your data being used to target ads, browse the web in a private browser or with incognito mode. It’s completely normal to come across ads that make you feel like you need to buy something right now. But remember, you’re in control. Take a breath, check in with your budget, and remind yourself of your goals.

Healthcare

AI is starting to show up in your doctor’s office too. AI can schedule appointments online and send you reminders. You can also put your symptoms into a symptom checker. Then AI can give you a preliminary diagnosis. It’s easy to see that AI is hard at work in the medical field. To keep your information safe, remember to only share personal information with trusted providers.

AI in Your Home

There are also many applications for AI around your house. You may have a smart thermostat that can learn your habits and adjust the temperature to save energy and keep you comfortable. You may have voice-activated lights or a voice-activated system that can set reminders and answer questions. Even robot vacuum cleaners use AI to understand the layout of your home and clean it efficiently. 

It’s up to you how much AI you use in your home. Using AI can build convenience into your life. But only you can decide what helps and what causes stress and overwhelm. Use AI to enhance your life, not to overcomplicate it.

Part 5: Staying Safe and Informed

When using AI, it’s important to stay safe. AI needs data to run, but you can control what data it has. Never give it sensitive personal information. Be sure you have reviewed the privacy settings and are keeping your information secure. Always review the privacy policy to ensure the software or app you are using isn’t selling your data.

How to Spot What’s Real

While we live in the information age, we also live in a time of misinformation and deepfakes. Be sure the information you are consuming is reliable. Here are a few tips to help you spot what’s real:

• Look for videos with inconsistencies like the sound not lining up, inconsistent lighting, or unnatural movement.
• Listen for robotic or unnatural speech patterns and odd background noise
• Fact-check the stories you see on social media, especially before sharing or resharing them.
• Trust your instincts, if something seems too good to be true, it just might be.

Trustworthy Sources to Keep Learning

It’s important to always keep learning about AI. You can use consumer reports to review different software and apps to give yourself a better understanding. You can also use sites like Common Sense Media to review apps and other media for suitability and safety. If you want to learn more about using AI, check out your local library or adult education opportunities.

Empowerment Over Fear

You don’t have to understand every detail about AI to use it wisely. Think of it like driving a car—you don’t need to be a mechanic. But you do need to know how to steer, when to stop, and what signs to watch for.

With a little guidance, AI can be helpful. Find the best ways to incorporate AI into your life while staying safe. You’ve got this!