How to use it

You don't have to ask perfectly the first time. You just keep talking, the same way you would with a helpful person.

When it's not what you meant

Didn't get what you were after? That happens all the time, and you did not do it wrong. Just say so:

Then tell it two things, what the thing is for, and who it's for. That's the whole trick. Not clever wording; just saying out loud what you're actually making:

You don't have to work any of that out before you start. Ask however it comes out, see what you get, then say what you really meant. The going back and forth is the skill.

See it in action

Notice what actually did the work. Not clever wording, just telling it what the thing is: a card, a few lines, for your granddaughter. Once it knows you're writing a card, it already knows to keep it short and warm. You never had to ask for that.

And sometimes it's already close, and just needs a nudge:

A nudge like that works when the ask was already close. But on their own, "shorter" and "kinder" don't mean much. They only bite once it knows what you're making.

Ask for the shape you want

You can also say how you'd like the answer laid out. Any of these, at any time:

Handy once you're comfortable, but these are shortcuts, not the skill. The skill is the sentence further up: telling it what you're making and who it's for.

A conversation doesn't disappear when you close it. You can return hours or days later and pick up right where you left off.

As long as you're signed in, your past chats are saved in a history list, usually a menu on the left side (on a computer) or a list you reach from a menu button (on a phone). Tap an old conversation to reopen it, then just keep typing. It still remembers everything you discussed in that chat.

Changing to a brand-new topic? Start a new conversation (look for a "+" or "New chat" button) so things stay tidy, but you never have to.

Three little things that make AI easier and more fun. Try each once and it'll feel natural:

• 🎤 Talk instead of type (if you like). Tap the microphone and just speak. On a phone it can read answers aloud too, and ChatGPT and Gemini even hold a back-and-forth, like a phone call. Prefer typing? That's perfectly good too, and many people find they think more clearly on the page. There's no right way.
• 📷 Show it a photo. Point your camera at a houseplant, a pill bottle, a confusing letter, or an error message, and ask what it is. Try the picture workbook ›
• 🖨️ Ask for it your way. End your question with "make it a checklist," "put it in a table," or "give me something I can print out."

• Never share passwords, your Social Security number, or full bank or credit card numbers.
• It can be confidently wrong. For anything that really matters, like health, legal, or money, treat its answer as a helpful starting point and double-check it.
• It's not spying on you, and it's not a real person. Using it isn't dangerous.

Ready to see it in action? Try a workbook ›  ·  Want paper to keep by your chair? Printable handout ›