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Why? Gen AI Can Save You Time.

Why? Gen AI Can Save You Time.

Gen who? AI what? Forget it. Just remember: my goal is to help make your daily life tasks a little easier and save you time for the bigger things in life.

Connie Connors
June 09, 2025

Word-let (you’ve heard it, now act like you get it)

Gen AI. Short for Generative Artificial Intelligence. (Oops. I said to forget AI.) Just think of generating something. Using intelligence to generate something that doesn’t/didn’t exist. Think of those times when you’re struggling to figure out what to say in a thank-you note or a letter. You can use technologically-enabled intelligence to assist you in figuring out what to say. That’s generative AI. Gen AI. We’ll try it next in Prompts.

Drop-let (a fun new thing that just “dropped” recently)

Gen AI can be a time-saver, but many of us struggle at first to wonder what we “need” to create. Travel is a great place to start. The average person spends 16-18 hours planning a vacation. Yup. Think about one simple search you conduct: to rent a car or not; to eat out or eat in; Airbnb or hotel? Bingo. Layla.ai is a good one, albeit it’s $4.17 per month billed annually (there is a free three-day trial). That’s pretty inexpensive if you travel, especially if you drive and do so a few times a year. There are other free options, but one of those, TripPlanner AI, was just bought by Layla. So there goes free.

Almost Tech to Try

AI aside. This is one of the easiest things to begin using now. It is a Google Chrome Extension called Google Lens. It’s easiest to use on your phone. Find the Chrome app (or download it from the App Store; more on that in my Basics Guide.) In general, Lens is already a part of the search bar. You’ll see the search bar, and to the right is a Microphone and a Lens like the one here. 1.) You can use Microphone, another wonderful tool, or use 2.) Lens. When you press the Lens button, a screen opens that allows you to take a picture of something. Try it on something like furniture, a shoe, or an artwork. Tap the shutter. What you’ll see is something like this — I “took” a picture of a bounce ball. You can also upload a photo from your phone by using the “picture” icon at the bottom of Google Lens.

Prompts

You probably use ChatGPT. It’s a great place to start and stay for a while. The BEST and COOLEST thing about ChatGPT is that it has a memory! It remembers what you’ve asked it in the past, so you can build upon your requests. Phew. Saves so much time. But again, what should I use it for? Over time, you won’t struggle coming up with ideas. But for now, here’s something to start with.

You need to write a thank-you note that’s more interesting than “Thank you. What a thoughtful present. I’ll use it all the time.” Really, like why bother? I’m not saying not to use those beautiful note cards you bought and the fab blue ink pen. Use them. But ask ChatGPT to write you a poem and then edit it (of course, do), and then handwrite it into a card. If you must, put it in a text or email. (There is a great app called HiNote which will create digital “handwritten” cards for you.) Here’s an example of something we (my girl ChapGPT and I) wrote:

_{Ode to the Borrowed Ski Pants}

_{Upon the slopes so cold and steep,}
_{Where snowflakes swirl and lift and leap,}
_{I’d surely freeze from head to toe,}
_{If not for pants you let me borrow.}

_{You lent them kindly, without fuss,}
_{No contracts signed, no need to rush.}
_{Just faith I’d ski and not fall flat—}
_{(Though maybe once... but let’s skip that.)}

_{They hugged my legs through snow and storm,}
_{Kept out the chill, so snug and warm.}
_{While others shook with icy dance,}
_{I zipped along in borrowed pants.}

_{So here’s a thank-you, pure and true,}
_{For saving me from turning blue.}
_{Your kindness warmed me through and through—}
_{Just like those pants... but that was you.}

Almost Profound (or not)

As anyone who knows me knows, I tend to put my emotions before my intellect. I think of the poet e.e. Cummings when I think of technology because of the quirkiness, almost awkward use of language. In the poem “as freedom is a breakfastfood”, Cummings prioritizes feeling over intellect. He suggests that intellectual understanding can be superficial or even misleading if it doesn’t connect with our emotions and experiences. “Feeling” first is the most authentic and complete form of understanding. Enjoy.

Until Next Time

Stay curious, stay clever, and remember, almost intelligent is more than enough.

Connie