Despite my passion for automation, artificial intelligence (AI) felt a little spooky to me at first. I worried it would get out of control. Over the past year or so, though, I couldn’t resist. What I found wasn’t a world-ending machine, but a versatile tool. Many of us are familiar with the Infinite Monkey Theorem. I now think of AI as a vast number of computers using a vast number of search engines (and other tools) to seem like human intelligence. I no longer worry AI will ‘think for itself.’ I am concerned about the environmental impacts of all those data centers, though. So, I take a conservationist approach to AI.
I went from being “nervous about AI” to “gaining a lot from it.” I want to show others how to do the same. This is a beginner-friendly guide to turning AI—specifically Google Gemini—into a personal assistant.
Why Google Gemini?
There are many AI tools out there. I started with Google Gemini because I already use Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Maps. Gemini can “talk” to those apps to actually get things done for me. It’s not just a chatbot; it’s an extension of the tools I already use every day. In fact, I asked Gemini to write the first draft of the post you’re reading:
“I want to write a WordPress blog post. that explains how to use artificial intelligence to a number of my friends. I really gain a lot from it. But I’m not afraid of it like I used to be. At first I thought it was too spooky and was going to take over the world. Now that I’ve used my technical background to my advantage to really learn how to use it , I feel like I could explain it to a lot of friends with a good blog post. I’d like to be able to write something that gives a newcomer a how-to get started using things like Google Gemini to automate simple tasks.”
3 Simple Tasks You Can Automate Today
You don’t need to be a “techie” to start saving hours of time. Here are three “low-hanging fruit” tasks to try right now:
1. The “Inbox Decoder” (Summarizing Emails)
We all have those long, rambling email chains. Instead of reading through 20 replies to find the conclusion, ask Gemini:
“@Gmail find the latest emails from my landlord and summarize what I need to do by Friday.”
The Result: It scans your mail and gives you a bulleted list of action items. No more digging.
2. The “Instant Itinerary” (Travel Planning)
Planning a trip is usually a headache of tabs and spreadsheets. Try this:
“I’m going to Chicago for a weekend in April. Use @Google Maps to find three highly-rated hotels near Millennium Park and suggest a 2-day walking itinerary.”
The Result: You get a full schedule and a map layout in seconds.
3. The “Video SparkNotes” (YouTube Summaries)
Don’t have 30 minutes to watch a tutorial? Give Gemini the link:
“Summarize the key takeaways from this YouTube video [Link] and tell me the exact timestamp where they talk about [Topic].”
The Secret Sauce: How to Talk to AI
The biggest hurdle for newcomers is often knowing what to say. If you treat it like a search engine (using just keywords), you’ll get mediocre results. Instead, treat it like a smart intern.
- Give it a Role: “Act as a professional travel agent…” or “Act as a strict editor…”
- Give it Context: Instead of “Write an email,” try “Write a polite but firm email to my neighbor asking them to move their car.”
- Ask for a Format: “Give me the answer in a bulleted list” or “Put this into a table.”
I Fear Change – at First
The “spookiness” of AI came from the unknown (and my active imagination). Once I started using it to automate the boring parts of life—like drafting emails or organizing grocery lists — I realized it does give me more time for the things that actually matter.
What’s the first step?
Go to gemini.google.com, sign in with your Google account, and ask it something like:
“Suggest 5 easy dinner recipes based on the ingredients I have: chicken, spinach, and pasta.”