I know a few people have said that they don't like getting to grips with new technology, but it is worth reconsidering about learning to use AI, even at a basic level.
It has just talked me through an incomprehensible form, telling me what to tick and what to put on each line, and I should now be able to claim a small additional pension I've been meaning to chase up for ages. The sums are too small for it to be worth paying an IFA to look at it, but if I take the full lump sum (ie close it and claim it all back) it should pay enough to cover a holiday or another treat 🥳.
It has also recently talked me though getting the computer to speak to the printer, and made a voucher for a birthday present, amongst other things. Oh, and explaining the results of a medical scan in layman's terms. It's like having a personal assistant on hand.
All you do is find Chat GPT by Googling. Other AI apps are available, but that's the one I use. When you open it, there is a search bar, similar to the one on Google. Type in what you want it to do, and follow the instructions. Be as specific as you can, as it needs to know exactly what you want it to do, and to have all the necessary details. It can read screenshots, so if you can upload an official document, that saves a lot of time, too.
It might ask for further information (eg in the pension example I had to tell it about other sources of income so it could tell me tax implications) but it's very straightforward about asking. If you don't understand, just tell it and it will rephrase (without any rolling of eyes or sighing😉) and you will get there.
The free version only allows so many questions in a session, but they are saved for next time so you can go back when it refreshes. You can pay about £6 a month to get the next level which allows significantly more and will dig deeper, or pay a much larger amount if you want to use it professionally or more intensively than most.
It's maybe not for everyone, and I know there are ecological implications, but for those of us without family nearby, or who prefer to keep a lot of things private, it can be very helpful, so wanted to pass that on to those who aren't aware of it.
