# 4. Everyday Things AI Can Help You Do

> Use AI to explain, summarise, draft, compare, plan and brainstorm.

[Confident with AI course contents](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/)

Part One: Begin Using AI

Use AI to explain, summarise, draft, compare, plan and brainstorm.

**Estimated time:** 10 minutes. **Last reviewed:** 11 August 2026.

## What you need to know

This page stands alone. No previous AI knowledge is required. You need access to an AI assistant only for the activity.

**Learning outcome:** By the end, you will have matched a real task to an appropriate kind of AI help.

**Before you begin:** Do not enter private, confidential or identifying information. Keep your first task low-risk.

## The lesson

AI can help you begin, organise or understand a task while you retain responsibility for checking and deciding.

A useful answer should reduce work or open access, not create more checking than it saves.

### Match the task to the kind of help

| If you need to…        | Ask AI to…                                        |
|------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Understand something   | Explain it in simpler language or with an example |
| Reduce a long text     | Summarise its main points                         |
| Begin writing          | Produce a first draft                             |
| Consider alternatives  | Compare them using stated criteria                |
| Organise a task        | Suggest a plan or checklist                       |
| Generate possibilities | Brainstorm several ideas                          |

## Worked example

A learner asks AI to draft questions for a broadband provider. AI helps organise the questions, but the learner checks the prices and decides which provider to use.

The assistant helped prepare for the decision; it did not make the decision.

## Try it

Choose one row from the table and use it for a small, low-risk task you might otherwise postpone. Ask for a useful result, then check or edit it yourself.

Fallback prompt:

1.  “Give me a five-step plan for clearing and organising one kitchen cupboard.”

## Checkpoint

You matched one task to an appropriate kind of AI help, produced something usable and can say what checking or decision remained yours.

- Previous: [3. Have Your First Useful Conversation](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/modules/03-first-useful-conversation/)
- [Course contents](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/)
- Next: [5. Know What You Are Holding](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/modules/05-know-what-you-are-holding/)

## About this course

*Confident with AI* was created by Charli-Jo Tyrer in association with the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People (TAVIP).

Licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).