“AI will take our jobs” scares folks away.
This past weekend I took a photo of a plant that’s in a bad way, and asked ChatGPT for support. I got a full rundown of positioning, care, pruning – immediate steps based on what it saw in the photo.
The reality of AI is very different from its perception. Bringing AI in your life isn’t about automation, so much as assistance.
Assistance, not automation
As a data professional, it’s incredibly productive to quickly collaborate on architectural choices, challenge solution designs, or simply scaffold code from a spec. But AI extends much further than the workplace.
Using it doesn’t mean you want to solve tuning problems or vibe code apps. It’s great for everyday situations where you’d historically research and piece information together. “What’s the best way to fill this hole” when doing some DIY, or “what am I cooking tonight with these ingredients” when looking for mealtime inspiration.
For folks who aren’t using AI daily, I frame it as a companion to accelerate what you want to achieve. Pick any tool you like and start talking. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot – whatever you fancy, they’re all free to try. Start a conversation about something, anything.
Jump in
Have a go, it’s the best way. Just remember these key points:
- Context is king. Asking for a meal suggestion sounds exciting, but if it doesn’t know what you like or what ingredients you have, you’ll probably be disappointed with the results.
- It will get things wrong. Just as any of us could if we take the internet as gospel. If you visit /r/DIYUK, the answer is always to fill with caulk. But that’s not the solution for a wasp nest. Double check and challenge responses.
To ease in, try to have 3 different conversations:
- Ask it something you know in depth, and see how it responds. If you were a baker, ask how to create the perfect loaf of sourdough and what the usual pitfalls are
- Ask for help with something you’re familiar with. Also request it asks questions until it understands sufficiently to give a credible response
- Ask to teach you how to solve a problem, step by step. Bonus points if it’s something you can take a photo of. Maths homework or crosswords are great
You could try these with one of the tools, or try a different tool for each. They’ll all be slightly different, so see what you prefer.
The payoff
The most surprising part for me was when the penny dropped. The first time it catches you before making a mistake, the first time it understands a nuance in a picture you’ve taken, the first solid chunk of time it saves you.
Plus, these apps live in your pocket. They’re not doom-scrolling or attention seeking, they help you. “What would this room look like with X colour paint and Y colour carpet”. Yea, we’re not going with that combo.
Sure, there are plenty of work-related use cases. Summarising transcripts or generating code is a timesaver. Using those same tools in your personal life can be just as productive, and certainly more meaningful when you’re more invested in the outputs.
Wrap up
AI headlines focus on autonomous agents, business results, and breakthroughs. On a personal level, these tools can have genuine day to day impact.
When you’re more comfortable with AI, the headlines will land differently. Anthropic recently helped to identify critical vulnerabilities in internet infrastructure that most of us use daily. Business motivations to one side, in this case, the internet has been made a safer place as a result of AI.
Other than the examples above, these posts themselves benefit from AI. All posts over the last couple of years have been reviewed by AI – not only for spelling and grammar, but for accuracy, omissions, and flow. These are still my words, but I’ve made changes to polish and present them more effectively to whoever reads them.
I understand that I’ll likely be preaching to the converted for most folks who read this. Maybe a few stumble on this post and decide to give it a try for themselves. I think it’ll be well worth your time.
Andy Brownsword 