Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly moving beyond the world of research into our everyday activities. “AI empowers people with knowledge and analytical skills they didn’t have before,” says Carlo Lipizzi, associate professor with Stevens’ Department of Systems and Enterprises and the author of Societal Impacts of AI and Machine Learning (Springer, 2024). Here, Lipizzi discusses ways he uses chatbots like OpenAI’s Chat GPT or Google’s Gemini for common tasks — and how these tools can reshape our daily routines.

1. Research and Writing Assistant

From searching for dinner recipes to researching unfamiliar topics (for Lipizzi it was the Industrial Revolution, for his book), chatbots can provide more extensive, aggregated results than a Google search, Lipizzi says. A chatbot can also jumpstart and refine your written communications (think: thank-you notes), though he often readjusts to make the writing more in his own voice.

2. Travel Planner

Effective prompts — requests asked of the chatbot — must be specific and unambiguous, he advises. So instead of: “Help me plan a trip to Italy,” specify the time of year, region, places you want to visit, budget, even the type of traveler you are. So, “Plan art lover trip to northern Italy in July: low budget,” or “Plan five-star foodie trip to southern Italy in September with wineries.” (The bot can’t book the trip for you but that is coming soon, Lipizzi says.)

3. Personalized Fitness Coach

Chatbots can provide personalized fitness plans based on your age, fitness level, medical history, and overall goals. They can also help you track your progress, provide motivational messages and dietary guidance, and remind you to exercise. A doctor or fitness trainer should always check your AI-generated plan.

4. Be Cautious

Lipizzi finds that chatbots make frequent errors, so always double-check your results with verifiable sources.

– Beth Kissinger