Statistically speaking, there's a good chance that you don't use AI very much.
According to a Pew Research Center study from last year, only 58% of US adults have heard of ChatGPT, and of those, only 24% have actually used it. That amounts to just 18% of adults overall. So, despite all the hype surrounding AI right now, it's still not something that makes an impact in most people's daily lives.
We think that's a shame.
Right now, at this very moment, you have thousands of powerful generative AI apps at your disposal (many of them are free), and most can do far more than the basic tasks you may have heard about (like drafting emails for you or writing silly song lyrics). With the right tools and some strategically worded prompts, you can use AI to do all sorts of productive things -- like helping you get in shape, creating a profitable side hustle in a single afternoon, or even selling your old car for more than it's worth.
That's what this series is all about: unusual, unexpected, and impactful ways that you can use AI in your everyday life. In each installment, we'll showcase a real-world challenge that we've personally faced, then walk you through how we applied AI to overcome it. The idea isn't that you'll follow along and replicate our exact methods, but rather that when you finish each article, you'll walk away with a new AI-based technique in your creative arsenal.
We like to think of it like a TV cooking show of sorts. We might show you a specific recipe and demonstrate techniques for preparing a specific dish, but what we're really all about is helping you learn your way around the proverbial kitchen, showing you how to "cook" with AI so that you can make something great yourself.
About the Authors
PCMag's Brian Westover and Emily Forlini are teaming up for Try AI, bringing together Brian's AI enthusiast outlook and Emily's AI industry expertise to offer well-rounded, smart stories about how to use AI to make your life better.
Brian is a long-time tech journalist, writing about everything from laptops and smart TVs to fitness equipment and Starlink in his 14-year career. An early adopter of ChatGPT, he uses AI tools daily, and his position covering laptops has given him a front-row seat for the rapid growth of the AI PC category. His hardware coverage includes testing and reviewing the latest AI-enabled processors and Microsoft's AI-infused Copilot+ PCs. Additionally, he has written about how mankind should tackle AI, how to run free open-source AI models on your laptop, and how to use ChatGPT to code custom bookmarklets.
Emily is a former Big Tech insider turned tech reporter, spearheading PCMag's coverage of emerging technology including EVs and AI. In addition to her daily reporting on AI news, she has written PCMag's first-ever AI chatbot reviews and maintains our regularly updated ranking of the best chatbots. She has also interviewed famed futurist Ray Kurzweil.
As a veteran tech journalist and up-and-coming AI-focused reporter, Brian and Emily are ready to demonstrate how AI can improve your life, save you money, reclaim your time, and tame the overload of modern living.