Everyday AI
Everyday problems you can hand to AI
No tech skills needed. Pick your problem, copy the prompt, and paste it into any free AI app.
How to use these prompts
- Open a free AI appClaude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot all work.
- Copy a promptTap the Copy button on any card below.
- Swap the highlighted wordsReplace them with your own details, then send.
Leave out passwords, account numbers and other personal details when you use a public AI tool.
Clear an overflowing inbox
Sound familiar?
Dozens of unread messages are waiting, and every polite decline or follow-up takes longer than it should.
What AI does
Drafts replies, sorts messages by urgency and sums up long threads in a few bullet points.
Try this prompt
Act as my executive assistant. Here is an email thread: [paste thread]. Write a polite, concise reply that declines the request but keeps the door open for working together in the future.
Want more?
Ask: “Summarize these emails in bullet points and sort them by urgency.”
Good to know
Remove personal details before you paste an email, and read every draft before you send it.
Plan dinners from what’s in your kitchen
Sound familiar?
After a long day, deciding what to cook ends in takeout, and the food in your fridge goes to waste.
What AI does
Turns the ingredients you already have into a few nights of dinners and a sorted grocery list.
Try this prompt
I have [chicken breast, spinach, garlic, rice and soy sauce] in my kitchen. Create a simple 3-day dinner menu and a grocery list, sorted by store section, for any missing items.
Want more?
Add your limits: “Make it kid-friendly and ready in under 30 minutes a night.”
Good to know
Mention allergies up front, and double-check ingredients for anyone with a serious allergy.
Decode a dashboard warning light
Sound familiar?
A light pops on during your commute, and you can’t tell whether to stop now or wait until the weekend.
What AI does
Explains what the light usually means, how urgent it is and what to ask your mechanic.
Try this prompt
My car dashboard just lit up with [a yellow icon shaped like a tire with an exclamation point]. My car is a [year, make and model]. Explain what this means, how urgent it is, and what questions I should ask my mechanic.
Want more?
Ask: “What should I watch for on the drive to the repair shop?”
Good to know
A red or flashing light means pull over safely and stop. Check your owner’s manual, and call for help if unsure.
Find where your money is leaking
Sound familiar?
Forgotten streaming services, app renewals and dining out quietly push your monthly spending up.
What AI does
Reviews your expense list, spots charges you may not need and suggests a realistic plan.
Try this prompt
Here is a list of my monthly bills, streaming services and dining expenses: [paste list]. Show me where my money is leaking and suggest a realistic 3-step plan to cut back.
Want more?
Ask: “Which of these subscriptions overlap, and which could I pause instead of cancel?”
Good to know
Share names and amounts only, never card or account numbers. For big money decisions, talk to a financial professional.
Get the gist of a long document
Sound familiar?
A long report, lease or PDF lands in your lap, and you need to understand it before a meeting in an hour.
What AI does
Pulls out the key findings, risks and next steps in seconds.
Try this prompt
Read the following text: [paste text or document excerpt]. Give me a 5-bullet summary that highlights the main risks, key findings and recommended next steps.
Want more?
Ask: “What questions should I bring to the meeting about this document?”
Good to know
Summaries can miss details. Check the original wording, and ask a lawyer about anything legally binding.
The simple recipe behind every prompt
A role
Tell the AI who to be: “Act as my executive assistant.”
Your details
Give it the real situation: the email thread, what’s in your fridge, the light on your dashboard.
The format
Say what you want back: a short reply, a 3-day menu, a 5-bullet summary.
Not quite right? Reply with “shorter”, “friendlier” or “simpler” and it will try again.
More everyday fixes
Want more prompts like these?
Everyday AI collects plain-English prompts for work, home and side projects, sorted by the problem you are trying to solve.
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