A free tool for people who have been told they ought to be using AI and have no idea where to put their hands. It runs inside ChatGPT, it costs nothing, and it does not assume you already know the vocabulary.
Open the AI Basics Companion for Adults 60+
What it does
Email, travel planning, medical questions, summarising things that are too long to read, everyday tasks, and scam checks. It explains as it goes, in plain language, at whatever pace you set.
The scam checking is the part people use most
If you get a text saying a package could not be delivered, a call about your car’s extended warranty, or an email from a bank you have never banked with, you can paste it in and ask whether it is real. It will walk you through what to look for and why.
The usual alternative is asking an adult child, and a lot of people will not do that. Sometimes because they do not want to be a bother, more often because they do not want to look like they cannot handle it. A tool that never sighs at the question is worth having.
Where it starts you
It opens with four questions, and you are free to ignore all of them:
- What is one everyday task you wish technology could make easier for you?
- Is there a trip you have always wanted to take but have not planned yet?
- Do you have any old family stories you would like help writing down?
- What is something you have been curious about but have not had time to look up?
That third one catches more people than you would expect.
What it costs
Nothing. It runs on a free ChatGPT account. You will be asked to sign in or create one, and after that it is free to use.
If you would rather have a person in the room
Every Friday, 11:30 to 12:30, I run a free open class at 108 N Main St Ste 204, Richfield, Utah. No signup, no cost, bring whatever you are stuck on. More about Takeoff Consulting, or call 435-612-0411.