What Best use do You have for AI?

Today, AI is everywhere, and it seems everyone has something to say about it. There has been much talk about whether A.I. will take jobs, or churn out content at warp-speed. But for me, I’ve discovered a very practical application of A.I. that has made a noticeable difference in my home: as a schoolwork aid for my kids.

Here’s an incident, to give you some idea of my enlightenment. I was in my room one day, hammering away on some project on my phone, when my youngest daughter came exploding into my room in desperate need of immediate assistance with homework. It’s interesting how children can focus like a laser beam on their needs to the exclusion of everything else. All I wanted to do was finish my work and here my daughter was all over the room in need of my help.

And that’s when inspiration hit. We had an old phone that we hardly use, so I launched Meta AI on WhatsApp and taught her how to use it. The change was instant. Finally, instead of the yelling and frustration that those evenings had always included, that endless hour of begging and explaining and drooping and sneaking off, there were the sounds of interest and focus and joy in learning.

But I want to address some concerns that some of you may have: Is using AI to do your homework not just a way to cheat? “But the fact is, if you look at most kids, they get some form of support for their learning, from parents or tutors or online. But AI can be more efficient and consistent in providing it.

What impressed me most was how much this tool was teaching her to think differently. She wasn’t just copying answers; she was learning to ask better questions, verify information and think critically about what she was being told. It was like I was watching her acquire research skills without realizing it.

This little shift has had a huge effect on our family life. No more desperate 11 p.m. homework expeditions, you know, when a child suddenly remembers an assignment that is due for submission the next day. There are fewer tears about hard math problems, and I am free from interrupting phone calls for work to assist on spelling or math.

Most important, we’re bracing our kids for a future in which A.I. will be as common as smartphones are today. We’re setting kids up for success later in life when we teach them how to use these tools now and guide them through.”

Naturally, we’re not leaving all the heavy lifting to A.I. We have clear lines set, and use it as a learning tool, not a crutch. It’s not to replace traditional education, but to supplement it, to make learning, well, more fun and more effective for everyone.

A homework answer gone a lot further than planned. We’re not solving only immediate problems; we’re helping our children become self-directed learners, critical thinkers and responsible users of technology. And isn’t that what education is all about?

While the world discusses what AI might do in years to come, we’ve already begun to use it to make our life better today. Some of the best uses of technology aren’t the most glamorous. They are the simple answers that bring a little clarity to life and a lot of fun to learning.

The image used is AI generated.

Posted Using INLEO