12 Everyday Uses of AI (With Example Prompts)

The best way to learn AI is to use it for something you were going to do anyway. Here are twelve uses that work from day one, each with a ready-to-copy prompt. Replace the bracketed parts with your own case.

At work

1. Write a difficult email. Asking for something, saying no or delivering bad news.

“Help me reply to this customer asking for a discount we can’t give. I want to be kind but firm and offer [alternative]. Here’s their email: [paste the email].”

2. Summarise a meeting or a long document.

“Summarise this document in five key points plus a list of tasks with owner and date if they appear. If something is unclear, tell me. [paste the text or attach the file].”

For long PDFs, see our full guide to analysing documents with AI.

3. Prepare a presentation.

“I’m presenting [topic] to [audience] in 10 minutes. Suggest a 6-slide structure with the main message of each slide and a memorable closing line.”

4. Understand a spreadsheet or a formula.

“Explain what this Excel formula does step by step and how to change it so that [goal]: [paste the formula].”

In your studies

5. Get things explained at your level.

“Explain [concept] as if I were 15, with a real-life example. Then ask me three questions to check I’ve understood.”

6. Prepare for an exam without cheating.

“I’m a student of [subject]. Give me a 10-question quiz on [topic], one question at a time, and wait for my answer before correcting it and moving on.”

Using AI as a private tutor is one of the most valuable things it offers. For assignments, check your school’s rules.

7. Improve what you’ve written.

“Review this text: point out mistakes, confusing sentences and repetitions, but don’t rewrite it all. I want to learn from the corrections. [text].”

More ideas in write better with AI.

At home

8. Plan the week’s meals.

“We’re [number] people, one vegetarian, with little time on weekdays. Suggest Monday-to-Friday menus with dishes under 30 minutes and a shopping list grouped by aisle.”

9. Plan a trip.

“I’m going to [destination] for [number] days in [month] with a budget of [amount]. Suggest a day-by-day itinerary grouping nearby areas and tell me what to book in advance.”

Check times, prices and bookings on official websites: AI may have outdated data.

10. Understand a letter or a contract.

“Explain in plain words what this letter from my bank says, what it asks of me and what deadlines I have. [text or photo].”

For important decisions, also consult a professional.

11. Translate and understand another language.

“Translate this message into German in a friendly tone and explain any expression without a direct translation: [text].”

12. Learn something new with a plan.

“I want to learn [skill] in a month, 30 minutes a day. Make me a week-by-week plan with practical exercises and free resources.”

If what you want to learn is AI itself, follow our 30-day AI learning roadmap.

Three tricks that improve any prompt

• Give context: who you are, who it’s for and why.
• Ask for a format: list, table, three sentences, an email.
• Allow “I don’t know”: “if you’re not sure, say so” reduces made-up answers.

To go further, continue with our prompting techniques.