Most individuals use AI to summarize PDFs or write emails. I take advantage of it to scan my fridge, calm my electronic mail guilt and even generate customized bedtime tales that enchantment to my four-year-old and eight-year-old.
Over the previous 12 months, I’ve examined some critically bizarre AI automations utilizing ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and some artistic shortcuts. I didn’t anticipate most of them to work. However they did — and now I depend on them greater than I’d prefer to admit. Listed here are 9 of the strangest methods I’m utilizing AI in actual life — and why you may need to strive them too.
1. Bathroom shelf inventory
My husband uses one product for hair and body. I have about 15 bottles for any given day of the week. It drives him crazy, so I leaned on Gemini to calm his nerves and assist remove litter. I merely snapped a photograph of my chaotic shelf and requested Gemini: “Record the whole lot you see and assist me set up.”
It gave me a categorized inventory — and even told me that both types of conditioner do almost the same thing. Weird? Yes. Useful? Also yes. From there, it added each item to my grocery list, which is managed using the built‑in list feature in Google Hold.
2. Spur of the moment meal planner
I have a shopping list (as mentioned above), but if I haven’t been to the store in several days, I’ll snap a photo of my fridge and ask Gemini:
“Plan 3 dinners using only what’s in here.”
It will always serve up shockingly decent ideas — including one that used the sad, half-wilted spinach I always ignore. It told me to use it in a chicken stir-fry that is now part of our meal rotation.
3. NFC-triggered bedtime story
I stuck an old hotel key card onto my child’s nightstand. Now, once they faucet it, it launches ChatGPT Voice and runs:
“Inform a 3-minute bedtime story with a purple unicorn and an area pirate.”
They suppose I’m magic. Nevertheless it retains them entertained whereas I am cleansing up the kitchen after dinner.
4. Dream journal pipeline
Every morning, I ramble into a voice note about my dreams. Then I run it through Whisper + ChatGPT to show it into an actual journal entry. It even tags symbols and recurring themes. It’s weirdly therapeutic — and infrequently inspiring.
5. Price checker shortcut
I saved a Shortcut that asks ChatGPT to analyze Amazon costs on numerous merchandise I am watching. I merely add the hyperlink and the graph related to Amaon’s new Worth Historical past characteristic and use the immediate:
“Inform me if these merchandise are at their lowest value previously 60 days.”
It’s saved me from a couple of impulse purchase.
6. Email guilt tracker
After sending a cringe email, I ask ChatGPT:
“Rate how awkward this was from 1–10, and tell me why I’ll survive.”
Does it help? Yes. Always. I often run my conversations by ChatGPT and ask how I could have said something differently to help me improve. I’ve always been extremely shy, so I have found this to be incredibly helpful.
7. Weekly “handle it” prompt
Every Sunday, I ask ChatGPT;
“What’s one thing I keep avoiding — and what’s the easiest way to start it this week?”
It’s almost never wrong and it always helps me begin my week on the right foot. I’ve noticed that by using my ‘handle it’ prompt, I am virtually all the time extra productive.
8. Playlist refresh bot
There’s nothing worse than a stale playlist. That’s why I gave Gemini access to my Apple Music and linked it with Google Home. Then I immediate:
“Advocate 5 songs I’ve by no means heard that match my present vibe.”
It nails it — together with a lo-fi remix I now have on repeat. It is nice for having music on whereas I work or including a soundtrack whereas I am cleansing the home.
9. Using AI to figure out to fix things around the house
So many times this year I’ve relied on ChatGPT Voice and Vision and Gemini Live for advice. ChatGPT Voice walked me through changing a tail light (I saved a lot of time and money doing it myself), knowing what type of lock I needed to buy for our back door and, perhaps my favorite, that the “spiders” I often find in the basement are not going to kill me.
While AI doesn’t replace an expert, it does help in a pinch.
Final thoughts
These hacks won’t show up in a product demo or productivity blog, but they’ve made my life smoother, funnier, and, dare I say, more human.
It’s been a great year for AI. There have been so many developments like Gemini 3 and Nano Banana in addition to Alexa+.
Most individuals use AI to work sooner. However the most effective makes use of I’ve discovered are smaller, sillier — and much more private. These hacks gained’t present up in a product demo or productiveness weblog, however they’ve made my life smoother, funnier, and, dare I say, extra human.
So when you’ve solely used ChatGPT to repair grammar or plan journeys, strive one thing extra out-of-the-box. Begin along with your fridge or your youngsters’ bedtime routines, and also you may uncover a brand new and simpler strategy to do one thing.
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