6 ways AI can make your life easier – as recommended by Which? experts

AI tools might still be new to you, but the conversation around them is hard to miss. A growing number of smartphone apps and PC tools are introducing AI features, all aimed at helping you to automate dull or tedious tasks.

With so much chatter about the power and potential of AI, you might be wondering how you can put the technology to work yourself. For some inspiration, we quizzed Which? staff to see how they’re using AI apps to supercharge their own routines and tasks.

Below, we share some tips on how to use AI for travel planning, food prep, home improvements and more. Plus, if you're a complete beginner, we explain how to get started.

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1. Plan your next holiday

At a glance: Prepare your holiday itinerary and create a packing list in seconds.

Planning a holiday can be hard work at times, especially if you're visiting a new country and want to tick off all the must-see spots in a short space of time. But using the power of AI, you can create a rough schedule that offers up some inspiration.

For example, you can ask your digital assistant for a shortlist of activity suggestions, or you could provide a full breakdown of the areas you'll be visiting and for how long.

Natalie Turner, Content Producer, says: 'I use ChatGPT for travel itinerary ideas when I go on holiday. It focuses on the main tourist hotspots by default, but you can always ask for alternatives. I’m visiting Majorca this year, and it helped suggest places to visit and provided additional information on where to go.'

You can also use AI to create a packing list for your trip. There are dedicated apps for this (PackPoint on iOS and Android is popular), but AI can generate a complete list in seconds without the need to download anything.

For more on using AI for travel, see our investigation: AI can help plan a cheaper holiday — but only if you ask the right questions.

2. Get creative with food

At a glance: Generate recipes and meal ideas based on specific dietary requirements.

Whether you're looking for new recipes to try or simply want instructions on how best to prepare your meals, a capable AI assistant can act as your trusty kitchen sidekick. But although AI can help you with general meal planning, it can't replace the personalised advice you'd receive from a professional nutritionist.

Chad England, Product Content Lead, says: 'I was feeling uninspired with dinner and didn’t want to go to the supermarket, so I entered everything I had at home and asked AI to suggest meals. It was really helpful, and I now use it to plan meals for the week, including options based on my preferences, such as high-protein or low-calorie dishes.’

Jenny Harby, Content Editor, adds: 'I've been using AI to help expand the culinary horizons of my fussy nine-year-old. I enter the limited number of meals he currently eats, and ChatGPT suggests some recipes to get him to try a few new things. Not everything works, but it does mean we don't feel quite so stuck in the same meal routines.'

Explore our food and drink advice and discover products that have topped our taste tests.

3. Manage emails, messages and documents

At a glance: Draft, rewrite or summarise emails, messages and documents in seconds.

A capable AI assistant will help you draft a work email and can also save you time by cutting through long or complicated text. You can paste in a lengthy email thread, report or document and ask for a short summary, key points or even a list of actions.

This is particularly handy if you’re dealing with a hectic inbox, long PDF documents or anything crammed with jargon. Instead of reading everything line by line, you can get a clear overview in seconds.

AI tools are now built directly into many apps you probably already use, so you might not need to download anything new. Apps with built-in AI features include:

• Gmail – draft emails with ‘Help me write’ (press ALT+H when composing), summarise long threads and adjust tone (for example, more formal or concise).
• Microsoft Outlook – generate replies and summaries using Copilot (look for the Copilot icon when reading or composing an email).
• Microsoft Word – create drafts and summarise long documents by selecting the Copilot icon in the toolbar (shown above).
• Google Docs – generate and refine text using Gemini (click Help me write at the top of the document) or summarise longer documents into key points.
• Apple Mail, Notes, Pages – summarise, rewrite or adjust tone using Apple Intelligence. Select your text, then tap Rewrite or Summarise from the menu.

4. Improve your pictures

At a glance: You can use AI to instantly enhance your photos, whether making subtle touch-ups or getting creative by adding entirely new elements to the scene. 

Google Photos

The Google Photos app (iOS, Android) has a range of AI-powered tools.

Open a photo in the app, then tap Edit > Actions > Magic Eraser. You can then draw a circle with your finger around an object in the photo, and your phone will attempt to remove it. For best results, make sure the object is clearly defined and has good contrast with the background.

Other AI tools within Google Photos include Unblur, which fixes slightly out-of-focus images, and Zoom Enhance, which restores detail when enlarging parts of a photo.

The Magic Editor tool is also worth trying. Open a photo, tap Edit, then select the icon in the bottom-left corner. Tap an area of the image, then choose Reimagine. You can adjust the image by swapping out elements or adding new ones. In the example above, we selected a dreary sky and turned it blue.

Apple Intelligence in Photos

The Photos app on iOS and macOS now includes AI-powered editing tools, thanks to Apple Intelligence.

One of the standout features is the Clean Up tool, which lets you remove distractions from your photos. Instead of relying on menus, you can simply tap or brush over an unwanted object and your device will attempt to seamlessly blend the background.

If you're due a phone upgrade, check in with our guide to the best smartphones before parting with your money.

5. Transform your home

At a glance: ask for guidance and design inspiration to make DIY less daunting.

DIY can be intimidating if you're new to home improvements, but AI can act as a reassuring tutor. You can ask for beginner-friendly, step-by-step instructions on how to complete a project, tips on using tools and advice on selecting the right materials.

Lanna Rosgen, Market Analyst, says: ‘I’ve been asking AI a lot of questions, such as “how to tell if a wall is structural” and “where might I find asbestos in a UK home”. It provides useful links, making it a great starting point for further research.’

AI can also provide decorating inspiration. In the example below, we instructed ChatGPT: 'Redesign this empty room as a modern living space featuring a bold statement wall. Use neutral tones for the furniture and flooring.'

When making changes, our home improvements guides are here to help. If you need help tackling a DIY project, find a local professional using Which? Trusted Traders.

6. Learn a new skill

At a glance: create a personalised learning plan and get feedback on your progress.

If you fancy tackling a new hobby, AI can be a great tool to help you learn. You can use it for basic web searches or instead request personalised tips and advice tailored to your interests.

Conor Houlihan, Technical Support Advisor at Which? Tech Support, says: 'I often use AI to help with coding. It's so useful to either write code or pick out bugs.'

Sonja Walde, Head of Talent, adds: 'I use ChatGPT to assist with spreadsheet formulas. The great thing is that if something doesn’t work, I can simply tell ChatGPT what happened, and it’ll provide me with the correct solution. I love the friendly tone, too – when you're hesitant to use something, it’s really encouraging.'

Even more ways to use AI

• Get help with complex sums – Daniella Delaney Mendes, Senior Content Editor, says: I use AI to solve maths problems when I don't know how to do them on a calculator. I can ask ‘how to find X’ and it instantly gives me the calculation and the answer. It's an excellent tool if you're rubbish at maths.'
• Create bedtime stories – Dr Steph Kipling, Science Team Manager, says: 'I've used AI to write a personalised fairy tale for our son. We came up with some ideas for characters, locations and situations and ChatGPT wrote a story for us. Our son still loves reading his adventure story.'
• Transcribe notes from an image – If you need a digital copy of a physical document, AI can quickly type it up for you – often much faster than using a scanner.
• Create a fitness plan –  use your AI assistant as a personal trainer by creating a custom fitness plan and getting tailored workout routines.

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