Let’s take a moment to appreciate all that AI has given us.
I still remember the very first time I used ChatGPT. I was deep in the middle of a… let’s call it a “lively discussion” with one of PayNW’s vendors. We had reached a bit of a stalemate.
And while I am always open to collaboration, I was not about to back down. So I turned to ChatGPT and typed something like this (details changed to protect the innocent):
Please write an email that is equal parts snarky and serious. Make it clear I am not budging, but also make them laugh—because that is what I am known for.
And wow, did it deliver.
My next prompt?
Okay, dial back the snark by about 50 percent.
A few more tweaks and I had the perfect message. I sent it off… and it worked, message was delivered clearly and concisely and we got what we had been asking for.
I forwarded the win to my boss and he replied with:
"That is most excellent! Well done. And perhaps one of the better, perfectly toned, communications I have ever seen..."
Which sparked an entire back-and-forth about AI, tone, and the future of communication. Keep in mind—this was May of 2023. Back then, barely anyone I knew was using ChatGPT.
Fast forward two years?
Now I (and everyone I know) use it daily—for writing, yes, but also for a hundred other things.
Here are just a few of my favorites:
Contract Translation (aka: Surviving Acquisitions)
At PayNW, we do our fair share of acquisitions. Which means lots of redlined contracts. One lawyer uses words I do not recognize. The other replaces them with new words I do not recognize. So I paste the clause into ChatGPT and ask it to explain the language to me… like I am five.
It saves me time, lowers my legal bill, and keeps me from inventing new curse words.
Menu Planning (and Grocery Sanity)
Every Sunday, I stare into my freezer and pick proteins. Then I ask ChatGPT to turn that list into:
If we are hosting, I just tell it. Gluten-free guests? No problem.
Bonus: I ask for a grocery list, open my Safeway app, and order everything for pickup.
AI as sous chef? Highly recommended.
Travel Itineraries (with Hidden Gems)
This spring, we planned a trip to Zion and the Grand Canyon, flying in and out of Vegas. I gave ChatGPT the basics and asked for an itinerary.
It suggested:
Both were incredible. And both were places we would have missed without the suggestion.
Excel Formulas (Because I Am Not a Wizard)
Ever stare at a spreadsheet and think, I know what I want this cell to do… but I have no idea how to tell Excel? Just describe it in plain English. ChatGPT will give you the formula (and explain how it works, too).
Decoding Medical Reports
I once received imaging results late on a Friday. No one to call. Just a wall of medical jargon. So I copied the report into ChatGPT. It translated the findings clearly and calmly—then helped me think of questions to ask my doctor on Monday. It did not give medical advice. It just made the unknown a little less intimidating.
Retreat Planning (with Nicolas Cage Vibes)
Every year, I host a leadership retreat. This year’s theme? National Treasure.
ChatGPT helped me:
It was equal parts fun and functional. Just how I like it.
Book Club Confessions
Sometimes, I do not finish the book. But you know who always does? ChatGPT.
"Can you summarize [book title] for me in three minutes?"
Done. Book club saved.
And that is just the beginning.
It has only been two years since that vendor email… and I cannot wait to look back two years from now and laugh at how basic this list will seem.
Disclaimer: Use ChatGPT responsibly.
If you are horrified that I pasted in test results (with no identifiable info), that is fair. You do not have to do that.
Just know that AI can be as private or as public as you choose to make it.
Final Thought
AI did not replace my thinking. It just made it faster, funnier, and more fully me. And for that, I am grateful.