AI has become my unofficial colleague. It doesn’t sleep, complain, or steal the last slice of pizza. It also doesn’t ask for a raise, which probably makes it management’s favorite employee.

Somewhere along the way, artificial intelligence went from an interesting novelty to something I use regularly. And the best examples aren’t futuristic robots or machines plotting world domination. They’re much more ordinary.

AI, My Behind-the-Scenes Editor

At work, I use AI to polish customer communications. It helps sharpen sentences, improve tone, and make emails sound less like they were written by someone who desperately needs sleep.

The irony? I’m training a technology that might eventually take my job. For now, it’s a spell-checker with a PhD. I’ll worry about the hostile takeover when it starts writing my performance review.

When AI Becomes a WordPress Developer

Anyone familiar with my love for WordPress won’t be surprised that I eventually found another way to use AI.

I wanted to build a task management system using WordPress posts, but two features were missing: task due dates and email notifications.

Normally, that might have meant hiring a developer or learning PHP myself. Instead, I turned to AI, which helped me build a plugin with both features.

Problem solved, without the traditional combination of developer invoices and keyboard-related frustration.

I even shared the experience in a talk at WordCamp Lahore 2023, titled Meet AI, the Plugin Developer (Wait, What?).

Solar Panels and Unexpected Mathematics

Earlier this year, we upgraded our solar panel setup. I knew the angle at which I wanted to position the panels, but calculating the correct height for the supporting structure was another matter.

Trigonometry entered the chat. My enthusiasm for manually solving it did not.

AI helped me work through the calculations, and we got the numbers right. Apparently, artificial intelligence can help with both writing emails and keeping solar panels properly positioned.

It’s Not Just Me

Someone I know (ahem) uses AI to prepare lesson plans, making teaching preparation quicker and less stressful. I also know of at least two girls (ahem ahem) using it for homework.

Whether that’s clever assistance or questionable academic strategy probably depends on how they’re using it. I’ll leave the courtroom drama to their teachers.

The Catch: AI Can Be Wrong

For all its usefulness, AI has a significant weakness: it can confidently give you incorrect information.

That makes verification essential. Whether I’m checking calculations or reading AI-generated explanations, I can’t assume that a polished answer is an accurate one.

AI can save time, but it doesn’t eliminate the need to think. Unfortunately, critical thinking remains a human responsibility. No plugin available for that yet.

My approach is simple: use AI where it helps, check its work, and keep my own judgment switched on.

AI hasn’t replaced me. It’s helped me communicate better, build something useful, and solve problems that would otherwise take more effort.

And if it ever does start writing this blog without my help, I hope it at least remembers to spell-check the title.