Generative AI tools can feel overwhelming, but learning how to use them the right way can tremendously improve your life.
We get it; the speed at which artificial intelligence is evolving can feel overwhelming. Every time we turn around, there’s a new tool, a new feature, or a new debate about whether or not AI is going to take over the world. But here’s the truth: AI is already here, and it’s only getting better. So instead of resisting it, maybe it’s time we start learning how to use AI to work smarter for us.
Because when we’re able to outsource some of the repetitive, tedious tasks on our plates, we can free up time to focus on the things that really matter— our careers, our families, and our financial futures.
This week on the HerMoney Podcast, Jean Chatzky sits down with Celia Quillian, AI expert and author of the new book AI for Life: 100+ Ways to Use Artificial Intelligence to Make Your Life Easier, More Productive…and More Fun! She shares how we can use generative AI tools to negotiate raises (or at the car dealership), manage our finances, and even help book our next dream vacation.
How To Use AI: It’s All About Prompting
Jean Chatzky: So the key to using ChatGPT or these generative AI tools successfully is prompting. So what’s the difference between a good prompt and a bad prompt?
Celia Quillian: Context. And provide as much context as you can in a clear, effective way. I like to think that if you can put your little imagination cap on, talking with these tools is really very similar to talking with a person. Imagine you have an expert assistant who can do pretty much everything for you, as long as you tell them what you need them to do clearly.
Celia Quillian: If you leave anything out, they’re probably not going to know that that’s what you want. They might guess that that’s what you want, but you won’t be as well off if you don’t provide that extra information. So that’s what makes it very different from a Google search. Google, you’ve probably put in a couple of words at a time. With ChatGPT and all of these other generative AI tools, you can put as much of your desire as you would like into your prompt.
AI For Your Wallet: Smarter Budgeting and Saving
Jean Chatzky: I want to talk about how to use AI to better manage our money. How can we use it to help build a better budget?
Celia Quillian: Generative AI can be a very effective financial coach. It’s not as good as a professional financial advisor, but it can help you understand where your knowledge gaps are, what your habits are, and where your money mindset is.
Celia Quillian: For budgeting, go to ChatGPT and say: “I’m in this much debt or this is roughly what I spend and I’m trying to find a way to budget better,” and then ask it to “act as a financial coach and ask you 10 additional questions so it can better help you.” There are so many ways you can go if you just approach it as pretending like I’m talking with an expert who can help you out with your problem.
What’s Next? AI That Actually Gets Things Done For You
Jean Chatzky: We are having this conversation in the spring of 2025. If we were having it a year from now, would it be markedly different?
Celia Quillian: I think, in some ways, it would. And in many ways, it wouldn’t. 2025 is the year of agentic AI. Agentic AI is when you’re using natural language to command an AI to go and accomplish things for you.
Celia Quillian: For example, you would be able to say, “I want you to plan a full trip and book the hotels and everything for me, and just check in with me.” And it will go off and create the itinerary, browse the websites, look up the hotels for you, and ask what your budget is. So that is something that a lot of companies are investing in. Even the evolution of the free tier of ChatGPT has gotten much more robust in the past year. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the future.
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