How do you use AI?

Truth be told, our Spilling Goodness logo is courtesy of AI.

In one way or another, AI is becoming more and more a part of daily life. We've all heard the discussions around "the wild, wild west," the gold rush of AI, how kids use AI in school, AI-generated images and the power this resource has to change daily tasks. So, here 6 moms all share just how we are using AI "as a tool, not a crutch", as Ashley explained. As something we will all undoubtedly learn more about, here is a collection of how we're turned to AI, so far. From dinner party menus, summarizing client call notes, kids chore charts or recapping a tricky book ending, the uses for AI are truly limitless - and perhaps, that's why it is both appealing and daunting.

Jen, Bespoke Travel Planner from @GlobalOnDemandTravel

While AI certainly has limitations (one time it suggested I take a train route in Germany that no longer exists, thankfully I knew better!), it can be a great tool. I love to use it for writing emails. As in, I need to write to a teacher but have it come across a certain way. Or, I need it to look up a tournament schedule and add it to my calendar. It is such a great tool that can help streamline simple yet time consuming tasks.

It can also help jump start vacation planning. It isn't great at the details, personalization nor understanding what works for one family over another, but for those looking for DIY vacations, it can provide a great overview.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

Technically, I’ve been using AI in the form of Grammarly for about 5 years. It’s a plugin that reviews all my writing for spelling and grammar and serves as my own personal editor for anything I type on my computer. It allows me to move more quickly through my writing and spend a lot less time editing.

I am fortunate to have a few colleagues who are well-versed in OpenAI, like ChatGPT and Claude. They advised me to just “play” with prompts as a way to practice using them. I’ve come a long way from my first prompts that were not very specific and yielded mediocre results!

How do I use it most frequently? As a business owner, speaker, and writer, I use it frequently to summarize my writing, to take a messy idea and make it more cohesive, to create a catchy title for one of my speaking topics, to research clients, to build spreadsheets, and to organize information.

At home, ChatGPT helped me create a dinner party menu, an itinerary for our road trip to Destin, Florida, and a spreadsheet with college information for my son.

I approach it like this: if my Google search is a multi-step process, could I instead write a prompt for ChatGPT? I trust, but verify any research it does (I’ve found lots of errors). It’s now “trained” on me and my business, so it’s getting smarter with its results and suggestions, which is both cool and creepy!

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with AI 😬

On one hand, I use it a lot in my business. It’s incredibly helpful for organizing my client work like keeping notes from sessions, tracking patterns, and using Zoom summaries so I can stay fully present during calls instead of trying to write everything down. That part has been a game changer for me as a coach!

I also use it for random, fun things. I’ve taken pictures of spaces in my house and asked for ideas on how to decorate a blank wall or rearrange a room. I’ve even snapped photos of outfits I like and used it to find similar pieces online. It’s like having a second brain for those little everyday decisions!

But when it comes to content and my voice, I’ve pulled wayyyyy back.

You can totally tell when something is AI-generated. It starts to sound the same as everyone else, and that’s the exact opposite of what I want. I actually love the human, connected side of the internet like the messy, real, imperfect thoughts and I don’t want to lose that.

There’s also a part of me that worries about relying on it too much. If I’m always outsourcing my thinking, I’m not strengthening my own ability to process, reflect, and communicate on the fly and that matters in my work.

At the end of the day, my clients aren’t paying me for something AI could generate! They’re paying for lived experience, guidance, accountability, and real connection.

So for me, AI is a tool, not a crutch. And I’m trying to be more intentional about keeping it that way.

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

There are so many differing opinions on AI, and I see those varying perspectives. For me personally, I have not leaned on AI for much. In fact, I had to really rack my brain to remember what I have used it for.

Not too long ago I could not understand the ending to my book. After reading countless book reviews I was no better off. So I turned to ChatGPT to explain it to me ..and it did! I was amazed and thought it was incredibly helpful.

I have tried using it for some help with rearranging my bookshelves and then also with a blank wall we have upstairs. Neither time proved successful and just left me frustrated.

As for AI generated artwork/literary work, I see this all this time in the book community. I have really been impressed with some of these AI images that have brought books to life. However, this is really hard on actual artists. I see artists and authors speaking out all the time on their social media against AI.

AI can be an amazing tool if used with boundaries. But given the extraordinary power it has, where are the limits?

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

I sometimes feel like my use of AI is limited since I’m not currently in the workforce and my kids are still young—but at the same time, it’s almost impossible not to use it. Even when I search something on Google, AI-generated answers often appear before I can browse results.

In my day-to-day life, I’ve used AI in practical and creative ways. It’s helped me come up with ideas for my kids’ class parties, generate simple home décor layouts, and plan meals. One of the most helpful uses has been creating chore charts for my kids—AI was able to organize responsibilities by age and incorporate the tasks I wanted included, which saved me a lot of time and effort.

Looking ahead, I’d like to use AI to help me build a resume. After being home with my kids for the past 11 years, starting from scratch feels a bit overwhelming, so having guidance from AI would make that process much more manageable.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

The allure of efficiency draws me to want to learn more about AI, but so far I have only dipped my toe in a few resources. In the interior design world, the rise of AI generated images is a dual edged sword, in my opinion. On one hand, they allow you to visualize options faster and easier than previous methods of creating renderings. On the other hand, they create a false reality, and don't get it "perfect" - and while you can see through most of the generated images now, who knows where they are headed.

An AI generated image with specific paint colors to help visualize a burgundy door.

So, for now the most helpful way that I have used AI is to create images to help visualize some paint choices. Using Nano Banana, I was able to request an image with specific paint colors on the wall, the trim and the door. When deciding to take a leap and paint our basement doors a deep burgundy, this image helped me see the potential impact of the decision. That said, standing in the space with the paint samples was still a critical step. And, of course feeling the emotion a color can evoke can't happen artificially.

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How do you use AI?