Anyone connected to the outside world has heard of artificial intelligence (AI). You don’t need to understand how it works to use it—in fact, you’re probably already using it.
AI is a computer system that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as decision-making and problem-solving. Siri and Alexa use AI. Google Search utilizes AI to comprehend and respond to your queries. Robotic floor sweepers, such as Roomba, use AI to map the room and avoid obstacles like table legs or your sleeping dog.
I’m on the school board, so the seminars I attend often address students using AI to cheat (they can and they will) and how teachers and administrators can optimize the tools offered by AI, which are many. I’m not an educator, so many of those AI offerings don’t apply to me, but I do use ChatGPT, Gemini and Co-pilot. For help with writing, I use Grammarly and Claude.
There are many fun uses for AI. I’m at my laptop right now, wearing a pair of glasses I bought online. With AI, I “tried on” pair after pair by simply uploading a photo of my face without glasses and choosing frames I thought might be a good fit. It was fun!
I’ve generated a business photo—it’s not perfect but I’ll continue to tweak it. I’ve requested help with choosing colors that suit me. (No black or stark white, but yes to cream, ivory or taupe, as well as warm colors like coral and terracotta). Next up: different hairstyles.
If you’re not into makeup and clothes, there are other, less superficial ways to use AI. I take a supplement that I only buy when it’s on sale. Noticing that other brands were selling for less, I asked ChatGPT to compare two of them side by side. There wasn’t enough difference in the formulas, so now I’m buying the generic. And recently, when my orthopedist sent MRI results that I didn’t understand, I copied them into an AI search* and asked, “Help me understand this.” These examples are only scratching the surface of what AI can do: plan a party, organize a seating chart or virtually rearrange your furniture.
As for the accuracy of the results, I know I can’t always trust what it spits out. It’s human that way.
*Always consult with your primary care physician before making any health care decisions.
Pepper Evans works as an independent-living consultant, helping older adults age in place. She is the empty-nest mother of two adult daughters and has extensive personal and professional experience as a caregiver. She has worked as a researcher and editor for authors and filmmakers. She also puts her time and resources to use in the nonprofit sector and serves on the Board of Education in Lawrence Township, NJ.
