4. Using AI for everyday tasks

The three AI assistants most people start with are ChatGPT (made by OpenAI), Claude (made by Anthropic), and Gemini (made by Google). All three work the same basic way: you type a message, and the AI types back an answer. You do not need to install any software — just open a web browser, go to the website, and start typing.

ChatGPT is at chat.openai.com. Claude is at claude.ai. Gemini is at gemini.google.com. All three have a free version that is powerful enough for most everyday tasks. If you have a Gmail account you can log straight into Gemini. If you use a phone, each one also has a mobile app.

The message you send to an AI is called a prompt. A good prompt is the most important skill in using AI. Here is a simple rule: the clearer and more specific your prompt, the better the answer you get.

Compare these two prompts:

Weak prompt: 'Write something about business.'

Strong prompt: 'Write a short paragraph in Amharic that I can put on a flyer for my tej shop in Piassa, Addis Ababa. The flyer should invite customers to our Saturday evening event.'

The strong prompt tells the AI the language (Amharic), the format (short paragraph for a flyer), the place (tej shop in Piassa), and the purpose (Saturday evening event). The AI uses all of that information to give you something actually useful.

A useful tip: if the first answer is not quite right, do not start over. Just reply and say what you want changed — for example, 'Make it shorter' or 'Use a friendlier tone.' The AI remembers your conversation.

Here are five everyday tasks where AI saves time for people in Ethiopia right now:

1. Writing help — Almaz runs a small clothing shop. She asks Claude to write a polite message to a supplier who sent the wrong goods. The AI writes the full message; she just edits a few words and sends it.

2. Translation — Abebe is studying to pass an English entrance exam. He pastes a paragraph from his study notes and asks ChatGPT to translate it to Amharic so he understands it better.

3. Summarising long documents — Sara receives a long contract in English for a new office lease. She copies the text into Gemini and asks 'What are the three most important things I should know from this document?' The AI gives a clear, short summary.

4. Planning and brainstorming — Dawit wants to start a small café near Bole. He asks the AI 'Give me ten low-cost ideas for making my café stand out from competitors.' He picks the ideas he likes.

5. Answering questions quickly — Hana's child has a fever. She asks the AI what common causes of fever are in children and when to go to a clinic. The AI gives general information and reminds her to see a real doctor for a diagnosis.

Using AI well also means knowing when NOT to use it. Here are situations where AI often makes mistakes:

• Very recent news — AI tools have a knowledge cut-off date; they do not know about events that happened after their training ended. For today's news, check a real news website.

• Specific local facts — AI may not know the opening hours of a specific clinic in Jimma, the current price of teff in Hawassa market, or your school's exact exam schedule. Verify local details yourself.

• Legal and medical decisions — AI can give general information, but it is not a licensed doctor or lawyer. Do not make final medical or legal decisions based only on AI.

• Maths with large numbers — AI sometimes makes arithmetic errors. Always double-check important calculations yourself or use a calculator.

• Confidential information — Never share your password, bank PIN, or ID number with an AI chatbot. The conversation may be stored on the company's servers.

AI tools are powerful, but using them safely requires a few habits:

1. Always verify important information — AI can make things up confidently. This is called a 'hallucination.' If the AI tells you a medicine dose, a legal rule, or a historical fact, confirm it from an official source before you act on it.

2. Protect your privacy — do not type your full name, address, ID number, or financial details into an AI chatbot. Use general descriptions instead: 'a 30-year-old woman in Addis Ababa' rather than your real name and ID.

3. Do not share others' private information — if you are summarising a contract or email, remove names and personal details first.

4. Check the source of the AI you are using — stick to well-known tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. There are fake apps that pretend to be AI but are designed to steal your information.

5. Remember that AI output is not always neutral — AI can reflect biases from the data it was trained on. Think critically about the answers you receive, especially on sensitive topics.