Getting Comfortable with AI: Easy-to-Use Tools for Daily Tasks

AI Series 1 was Exploring the Power of AI

AI Series 2: AI for Everyone: Unlocking the Potential of Everyday AI Tools

1. Getting Comfortable with AI: Easy-to-Use Tools for Daily Tasks
2. AI in Your Pocket: Leveraging AI on Your Smartphone
3. Boosting Creativity with AI: From Social Media to DIY Projects
4. Smart Shopping with AI: Finding Deals and Making Better Decisions
5. AI in the Home: Making Your Space Smarter and More Efficient
6. Simple Steps to Explore More Advanced Tools

Series 2: AI for Everyone: Unlocking the Potential of Everyday AI Tools

Post: Series 2 Wrap up

Introduction

What an incredible journey! Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how AI fits into our daily lives, making everything from home automation to creativity just a little easier. As we wrap up AI for Everyone: Unlocking the Potential of Everyday AI Tools, let’s revisit what we’ve learned in each post and look ahead to how you can continue growing your AI knowledge.

Discussion

Here’s a quick look back at each post in the series and the exciting discoveries we made together:

1. Getting Comfortable with AI: Easy-to-Use Tools for Daily Tasks
   In this post, we kicked things off with the basics: easy-to-use AI tools that help you manage your day-to-day life. From task management apps like Todoist to translation tools such as Google Translate, we saw how AI simplifies our workflows, language barriers, and everyday productivity. No advanced skills required—just simple, practical applications that anyone can pick up. (FYI: I got hooked on Todoist while doing research for this post.)
2. AI in Your Pocket: Leveraging AI on Your Smartphone
   Next, we dived into how your smartphone is a powerful AI device. Whether you’re using voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant or enhancing your photography with AI-powered apps like Prisma, AI fits right in your pocket. We explored how these tools are already transforming the way we interact with technology—making our lives more seamless, even when we’re on the go.
3. Boosting Creativity with AI: From Social Media to DIY Projects
   Post 3 focused on the fun side of AI—creativity! We looked at how AI is helping people design stunning social media posts, brainstorm DIY project ideas, and even compose music. Tools like Canva and Jukedeck make it easy to get creative without needing to be a tech whiz. Whether you want to make an eye-catching Instagram post or design a personalized logo, AI makes it all possible.
4. Smart Shopping with AI: Finding Deals and Making Better Decisions
   The fourth post covered how AI can turn you into a smart shopper. With AI’s ability to analyze prices, reviews, and even predict future sales, we showed how tools like Honey and ShopSavvy help you make informed purchases. Saving money and finding the best deals has never been easier, thanks to AI’s ability to sift through endless data and present you with the most relevant options.
5. AI in the Home: Making Your Space Smarter and More Efficient
   We stepped into the world of smart homes in Post 5, discussing how AI is transforming our living spaces. From automating your thermostat with Nest to securing your home with Ring video doorbells, AI helps make your home smarter, more energy-efficient, and even safer. The best part? You don’t need to be a tech guru to set these systems up. It’s as simple as downloading an app and following some easy steps.
6. Simple Steps to Explore More Advanced Tools
   Finally, we wrapped up with a peek at more advanced AI tools for those ready to dig deeper. Whether you want to analyze data with Tableau or experiment with media creation using RunwayML, we showed how even advanced AI platforms can be approachable. And don’t worry if you’re just starting out—many of these tools have free tiers, allowing you to experiment without a big commitment.

Challenge

Now that you’ve explored various AI tools, it’s time to take action! Here are two hands-on challenges you can try today to continue building your AI skills:

1. Creative Challenge: Design a Social Media Post with AI
   Head over to Canva and create an eye-catching social media graphic using their AI-powered design suggestions. Play around with layouts, colors, and even AI-generated images. Don’t overthink it—just have fun experimenting with the AI features to create something unique in under 10 minutes. Share your creation on social media and see what kind of reactions you get! (Hint: Remove the rocket ship icons. They are a dead giveaway!)
2. Smart Home Challenge: Automate a Task in Your Home
   If you haven’t explored home automation yet, now’s your chance. Use an AI-powered device like Google Home or Amazon Alexa to set up a basic automation. For example, automate your lights to turn on at sunset, or set up a morning routine where your coffee maker starts brewing as soon as your alarm goes off. It’s simple and only takes a few minutes—but the result will make your day more efficient.

These challenges are designed to help you put AI into practice in a tangible way. The best way to learn is by doing, so give one or both a try!

Summary

So, where do we go from here? The biggest takeaway is that AI is not some far-off, complex technology—it’s already here, and it’s for everyone. Whether you’re looking to boost your creativity, make smarter purchases, or even dip your toes into more advanced tech, there’s an AI tool out there waiting for you to explore.

Your go-do: Pick one AI tool from any of the six posts, revisit the linked article, and spend a few minutes experimenting. The more hands-on you are, the more you’ll see just how easy—and fun—AI can be!

Please tune in again next week, as we’ll be starting a new series: AI While Looking for Work.

Thank you for reading!

Further resources

Ready for more? Check out these posts to revisit what we covered:

1. Getting Comfortable with AI: Easy-to-Use Tools for Daily Tasks
2. AI in Your Pocket: Leveraging AI on Your Smartphone
3. Boosting Creativity with AI: From Social Media to DIY Projects
4. Smart Shopping with AI: Finding Deals and Making Better Decisions
5. AI in the Home: Making Your Space Smarter and More Efficient
6. Simple Steps to Explore More Advanced Tools

Disclosure

AI was used to create a draft of this post. I added my own personal touches and take responsibility for all of it.