Fun, Practical Ways to Use AI in Your Everyday Life

Artificial intelligence doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or just for big companies. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others are quickly becoming part of everyday life—helping people save time, reduce stress, and make better decisions at home and at work.

At Cloud Cover, we believe technology should make life easier, not harder. Whether you’re planning a vacation, figuring out what’s for dinner, or trying to stay organized, AI tools can act like a personal assistant you can use anytime.

Here are some of the most practical, approachable, and fun ways to use whatever AI tool you prefer in your everyday life—no technical background required.

On a side note, I tend to prefer ChatGPT because that is what I started off using and have all of my chats saved, but any similar AI tool can do what I am doing. But for this blog, I did everything listed in ChatGPT so that is what I will reference. 

Get help planning your vacation

Vacation planning often starts with excitement and quickly turns into tab overload. ChatGPT simplifies the process by helping you organize ideas into an actual plan. My husband and I actually did this for a trip to New Orleans last year and I was amazed at the results. 

You can use ChatGPT to:

• Build day-by-day travel itineraries

• Suggest activities based on your interests (food, history, relaxation, family-friendly)

• Create walking tours or flexible schedules

• Generate packing lists based on location and season

• Adjust plans for budget, weather, or travel companions

When we planned our trip to New Orleans, it was very simple to prompt ChatGPT to help us. We simply told it what week we were going to be there and what street our Airbnb was located on. We told it we enjoy local cuisine, live music and were not fans of tourist traps. We told it we prefer to walk or uber short distances and what types of activities we were into. I was blown away with the results. It gave us a schedule of live music in the neighborhood, special events that we happening that week, restaurants to try and even told us some to avoid. I highly recommend trying this out for your next trip. 

Find better restaurants (faster)

If you are like me, I love going out to eat but hate deciding where to go. I look at endless reviews and we end up going to the same places we always go to. But you can use ChatGPT to help you pick places by focusing on what matters to you.

ChatGPT can:

• Recommend restaurants by vibe (casual, upscale, quiet, kid-friendly)

• Suggest local favorites instead of tourist traps 

• Plan food-focused days or neighborhood crawls

• Accommodate dietary needs or preferences

• Help decide where to eat when no one can agree

Try this prompt:
“Recommend casual restaurants in Columbus, Ohio that are good for conversation and not overly loud. Make sure they have a wine list and accept reservations.”

Make Meal Planning and Grocery Lists Easier

Ugh... meal planning. One of my most hated tasks. I have one kid who won't eat meat, another kid who only eats meat and I am cooking for four. One of my favorite everyday uses of ChatGPT is meal planning—and for good reason. It removes the daily stress of figuring out what’s for dinner.

ChatGPT can:

• Create weekly meal plans

• Build grocery lists automatically

• Suggest meals based on what you already have

• Support healthy eating or specific diets

• Offer quick recipes for busy weeknights

Try this prompt:
“Create a healthy 5-day dinner plan with meals that take under 30 minutes to prepare. Include 1 pasta dish, a dinner salad with the option of adding chicken, a Mexican dish, a soup  recipe for the slow cooker and an option for a vegetable based casserole. Then build my grocery list."

Get help making everyday decisions

Decision fatigue is real—especially when everything competes for your attention. ChatGPT can help you think through options clearly and quickly. You can use it for work decisions and personal decisions.

Use it to:

• Compare products or services

• Weigh pros and cons

• Prioritize tasks

• Plan daily or weekly schedules

• Organize ideas when your thoughts feel scattered

Try this prompt:
“Help me find the best rated vacuum cleaner for pet hair, make sure it is light weight and bagless."

 Write emails and texts more confidently

You don’t need to be a writer to communicate clearly—but sometimes it helps to have a second set of eyes. Sometimes after I send a text I think, did that come across the way I wanted it to? 

ChatGPT can:

• Draft emails in a professional or friendly tone

• Rewrite messages for clarity and feeling

• Help with difficult or awkward responses 

Try this prompt:
“Help me write a text message to my friend who wants me to go out on Saturday but I don't want to. Make the tone friendly, warm but firm explaining that I have been so busy I need a night of downtime and that is my only night free. Make sure to offer to get together in the next week or two." (Not that I have ever used AI to get out of doing something I didn't want to do of course....)

Learn new things without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated

One of the best things about ChatGPT is that it explains things in plain language—without judgment.

You can ask it to:

• Break down complex topics

• Explain technical concepts simply

• Summarize articles or trends

• Answer follow-up questions at your pace

If I am stuck on something that I am not sure what to do or how to go about it, I ask ChatGPT to break it down for me. If I need help figuring out a formula in Excel, I ask, if I need to know how to propagate a new plant from an aloe plant, I ask. Seriously, my neighbor asked if I wanted to grow a new aloe plant from her overgrown one and I found out how to do it.

Use AI just for fun

Not every use of AI has to be productive. ChatGPT is also great for creativity and entertainment.

You can use it to:

• Create trivia games or icebreakers

• Brainstorm party themes

• Generate creative writing prompts

• Plan movie nights or playlists

• Come up with fun challenges or ideas

Try this prompt:
“Create a family-friendly trivia game with mixed difficulty levels.”

Start small

You don’t need to use ChatGPT for everything—and you don’t need to get it “right” the first time. The best way to see value is to start small and experiment. I have found that some of my best uses of AI started with a half baked idea and turned into something great.

At Cloud Cover, we help individuals and businesses understand how AI fits safely and practically into real life. Tools like ChatGPT are most powerful when they’re used intentionally—and with the right guidance.

If you’re curious about using AI more confidently at work or want to make sure your technology is set up securely, we’re always happy to help.