AI for real life

As I’ve been busy with my day job(s) and various projects, like the Tech Insider Podcast, I haven’t put my hands to the keyboard for an article in a while. In this piece, while I’m still talking about AI, I want to demonstrate a few use cases that have significantly impacted my daily life.

It’s easy to get caught up in the news cycle and hype about 100,000 GPUs being deployed, requiring nuclear power, and dealing with sustainability challenges—not to mention the cooling requirements now and in the future.

Phew!

I use AI quite a bit in my day-to-day work—primarily to co-pilot areas of my business that don’t require me to hire someone but need more firepower than I can provide on my own.

Last month, I used AI in three very different ways, and each time it positively changed the outcome. AI is not a gimmick; it is not 3D TV or a “Smart Refrigerator.”

Use Case 1: Disneyland Planning

Our family was fortunate enough to visit Disneyland in September. Prior to the trip, I had planned to map out an itinerary days or weeks in advance. However, life got in the way, and the night before our trip, I found myself staring at my phone in silence while my family slept in the hotel room. I put on my headphones and skimmed 3-4 YouTube videos explaining the best strategies, secrets, and hacks. Having been to Disneyland once before (six years ago), the nomenclature was already confusing. Adding the Disney influencers’ over-the-top narratives made it more nauseating than the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.

I opened ChatGPT and briefed it on my situation: I had three days across both parks, my kids’ ages and heights (important, as my son is just under 48”), we had Genie+, and I provided a rough schedule for our arrival and lunch breaks. I also clarified which rides were closed for maintenance.

It generated an itinerary that was age- and height-appropriate, utilized Genie+, and had us done with all the rides we wanted by 1:30 p.m., including early lunch suggestions.

If our plans changed, I prompted it, and it updated the itinerary as needed.

Use Case 2: Freezer Troubleshooting

Disclaimer: I am not a handyman.

Just before we left for Disneyland, my 21-year-old SubZero under-cabinet freezer died. After a mad dash to salvage anything useful, I was faced with the dilemma of getting another repair ($1,500 last time) or replacing the unit altogether. Another wrinkle: SubZero no longer makes a 27” under-cabinet freezer. My options were either $5,000 for a 24” or 30” model, plus additional money for a carpenter to modify the bespoke cabinetry in the kitchen. YUCK!

After performing all the standard maintenance and troubleshooting I could find online (including vacuuming the intake and resetting breakers), I prompted ChatGPT with the model number and advanced troubleshooting details, such as water leaking after five days without power. After disassembling the entire freezer, I discovered that the water leak was due to the drip tray overflowing because the condenser coils had built up a thick layer of ice, which slowly defrosted and prevented the freezer from reaching the set temperature. AI directed my focus to the specific location—something not easily identified in a 21-year-old user manual. After reassembling everything, the freezer powered on and has been running at -1°F for over a week. WIN!

Use Case 3: Homework Help

Since the kids had missed school while we were at Disneyland, their teachers provided some homework. My 4th grader was learning about the Salmon Life Cycle—very appropriate, given where we live. Like many parents faced with teaching, I sought help from AI. I used ChatGPT’s audio function while driving to school, asking it to explain the Salmon Life Cycle in a way that was age-appropriate for my 4th grader, as well as a simpler explanation for my 1st grader.

While it did a great job, it initially spoke too quickly for my kids to follow. I asked it to slow down and provide a fun or memorable way to remember the seven stages of the life cycle. For my 4th grader, it even invented a fun song, sang it to us, and answered random questions.

AI continues to impress and surprise me with its ability to co-pilot both the simple and complex areas of my life. From planning trips and troubleshooting appliances to explaining biological processes, it is proving to be an indispensable tool—far from the gimmicky tech often found in today’s market.