There is no shortage of troubling news about artificial intelligence: inaccurate answers, privacy concerns, energy use, and the growing influence of large technology companies. Those concerns are real, and they deserve thoughtful attention.

But I also want to say this clearly: AI—especially conversational tools such as ChatGPT and Claude—can be astonishingly useful. Used thoughtfully, these tools give ordinary people access to explanations, research assistance, organization, and learning support that once would have required considerable time, expertise, or expense.

You don’t need to become a technology expert to benefit. In fact, one of the most remarkable things about today’s AI chatbots is that you can simply ask questions in plain English.

My encouragement is simple: do not let legitimate concerns cause you to miss the opportunity entirely. Learn to use these tools carefully, protect your privacy, verify important information, and discover how much more informed and capable you can become.

Think of a Chatbot as a Patient Research Assistant

A chatbot is not a replacement for your financial advisor, attorney, tax professional, doctor, or your own judgment. It can, however, be an exceptionally helpful first stop when you are trying to understand a subject, organize your thoughts, compare options, or prepare better questions for a professional.

Think of it as a patient research assistant and tutor—one that can explain things at your preferred level of detail, help you frame questions, and continue the conversation when something is unclear.

For example, suppose you keep your money in savings accounts and bank CDs because safety is important to you, but you wonder whether there are other relatively conservative choices worth learning about. You might ask:

“I keep my money in savings accounts and bank CDs because safety is important to me. I would like to learn about alternatives that may provide somewhat higher income without taking significant risk. Please explain the possible options as if I were a high school student, including the key risks and tradeoffs of each.”

Notice what makes this different from a conventional internet search. You do not need to know the technical terms in advance. You can describe your goal, your concerns, and the level of explanation you want. Then you can ask follow-up questions such as, “What does that term mean?” or “How would this compare with a CD?”

Of course, before making any financial move, you should verify the information and discuss decisions with your advisor or other appropriate professional.

AI Can Also Be a Customized Tutor

One of the most exciting uses of AI is personalized learning. You can ask a chatbot to create a course for you on almost any subject, adjust the pace, quiz you, create examples, and explain difficult concepts in different ways.

If AI itself feels intimidating, you might begin with a prompt like this:

“I am not very comfortable with technology and know little about AI or chatbots. Please create a simple, personalized learning plan that teaches me how to use AI safely and effectively. Start by asking me a few questions about my current comfort level and what I would most like help with.”

You can proceed at your own pace. There is no embarrassment in asking basic questions, asking for a simpler explanation, or asking the chatbot to repeat itself. That is precisely what it is there for.

A Few Practical Uses

Here are just a few ways chatbots may be helpful in everyday life:

• Explain unfamiliar financial, legal, medical, or technology terms in plain English.
• Help you prepare questions before meeting with an advisor, attorney, doctor, or contractor.
• Summarize a long article or document you have already reviewed.
• Help compare products, travel options, or service providers.
• Create checklists, learning plans, budgets, meal plans, travel itineraries, and household systems.
• Draft or improve a letter, email, or presentation.
• Help identify possible warning signs in a suspicious email or text message.

For example, if you receive an email that may be a scam, you can take a screenshot and ask a chatbot to identify potential red flags. Never share passwords, account numbers, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive personal information. And if the message concerns one of your financial accounts, contact the firm directly using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate—not a link or phone number provided in the suspicious message.

Finding Better Prices

Chatbots can also help you shop more effectively. Try this prompt:

“I am considering buying a [product or service]. Please help me identify the lowest total cost from reputable sellers, including shipping, taxes, fees, warranties, and any available discounts. Ask me the questions you need to narrow the search. Please distinguish between a low advertised price and the actual all-in cost.”

For major purchases—such as a car, airfare, appliances, or home services—this can be a useful way to organize your research and make sure you are comparing comparable options.

A Few Important Guardrails

AI can be very persuasive, even when it is wrong. Treat its responses as a helpful starting point, not as unquestioned truth.

For financial matters in particular:

• Do not share confidential information unless you fully understand the privacy settings and policies of the tool you are using.
• Verify important facts with reliable sources.
• Be especially cautious with investment recommendations, tax guidance, legal advice, and anything involving your accounts or personal data.
• Use AI to become better informed and to ask better questions—not to substitute for professional advice.

The Biggest Barrier Is Remembering to Use It

In my experience, the greatest barrier is not the technology itself. It is simply remembering that it is available when you have a question.

The next time you encounter something confusing, time-consuming, or unfamiliar, pause and ask: “Could a chatbot help me understand this, organize it, or prepare better questions?”

If the answer is even possibly yes, give it a try!

Upcoming Online Client Workshop

Stay tuned for our upcoming complimentary AI workshop for clients. Notices and reminders will go out by email. We we’ll start slowly and practically, sharing our top 10 AI chatbot use cases for personal finance, along with ready-to-use prompts that can get you started immediately.