I was having dinner with my husband in Paris. We got the wine menu and all the names were, of course, in French. Barry wanted something equivalent to a Napa cabernet, so I took a picture of the menu and asked ChatGPT. In seconds, he recommended a wine. I double checked with the waiter and he said hi.
You might think that artificial intelligence is only for businesses, programmers, or the ultra-tech-savvy, but it’s not. It’s for anyone who wants to try it.
Instead of ignoring this powerful tool, make this the year you embrace AI. It’s easier and more useful than you think.
Let’s start with the basics
“So where can I find ChatGPT?” I get it in my email every day. Use it on the web or download it for iPhone or Android.
The free tier works for most people. I pay $20 a month for ChatGPT Plus. It’s worth it for access to better features and faster response times. Get started for free. If you find yourself regularly relying on your favorite AI tool, consider upgrading. is worth considering.
ChatGPT is not the only option, but it is my preference (at least for now) and the most popular. You can also try Google Gemini, Perplexity and Claude.
With all of these, the workflow is the same. Think of it like Google, but instead of typing in a search term and scrolling through the results, you have a “conversation” with the bot to get exactly the result you want.
Like any tool, you should use AI wisely and triple check its results. Trust me, you don’t want to end up like those lawyers who used AI to draft court documents, only for the judge to catch glaring mistakes.
You’ve heard of requests, right?
This is what we call the text, question or command that you provide to an AI system to direct its response or action. It’s your guide to what you want, so the better you ask, the more useful and accurate the answer will be.
“Priming” is the insider term for telling a chatbot exactly what you want from it. With ChatGPT or any other, the more restrictions you provide, the better your response. Examples: “Limit your answer to 250 words”, “Give me the bulleted list”, “Format the results as a table”, “Use this data to create a bar graph”.
Remember, HE cannot read your mind. She only knows what you tell her. Use “I DO“and”not” in your requests to get the results you want. Say you’re cooking for friends and some have allergies. Say, “Create a recipe for six people. Do it include protein, fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates. not include dairy products, shellfish or nuts.”
7 tips to make life easier
Make your goals actionable: “I have a goal for 2025 to (fill in the blank). Can you help me make it SMART?” (SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related.) Maybe you’re not there yet. Try this: “I want to (fill in the blank), but it seems overwhelming and I don’t know where to start. Can you help me by breaking it down into more manageable tasks?”
“Give me 10 more examples”: This is a command I use all the time with ChatGPT to make the chatbot a better ideas buddy. Some of his “ideas” are downright bad, but they might spark something creative in your brain too.
“How can I make this better?” Add everything you’ve written—a blog post, a travel itinerary, a resume, or even a heartfelt email. This application works wonders for polishing your work and pointing out improvements, like a personal editor at your fingertips.
Your free assistant: Say you have messy notes from a meeting. By hand, you would spend 15 minutes turning them into a suitable email for your boss or team. Instead, fire up a chatbot and say, “Turn these notes into a professional and friendly email for my team.” Paste your notes at the bottom and voila. Pro tip: Ask your chosen bot, “Is there anything that needs more detail?” to fill in any missing information.
Shorten your inbox: When you receive a very long email, open your AI chatbot of choice and type the prompt, “Summarize this email for me. Tell me what to do, then write a thoughtful response. Here is the email.” Paste the email and let IT do its magic.
Do you want to be in shape? Ask your AI to create a personalized fitness plan. Try this: “Create a 30-day fat loss and muscle gain fitness plan tailored for a (male/female) beginner at (your age). Or get specific: “Create a four-week fitness plan to help me run a mile for the first time.” Don’t tire him.
Husband forgot to load the dishes again? Instead of firing off an angry text, let HIM intervene. Ask your favorite chatbot to reframe your frustration into something a little more … constructive. I like this request: “Make this message sound friendlier.”
Don’t forget about privacy
It’s easy to think of your bot as a reliable ally, especially when it’s churning out helpful answers all day long. But it definitely isn’t. It is a data collection tool like any other.
Be smart about what you say. Never write passwords, sensitive financial data, or confidential work or business information. My rule of thumb: Don’t tell a chatbot anything you wouldn’t want made public.
With a free ChatGPT or Perplexity account, you can turn off memory features in the app settings that remember everything you type. For Google Gemini, you need a paid account to do this.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation’s largest weekend radio show. Kim takes calls and gives advice on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacking. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website.
