Our neighbor Tom leaned over the fence last month while I was fixing the lawnmower. "Bob, my grandson keeps telling me to try ChatGPT. What is it, some robot that listens to everything I say?"
I laughed, because I'd wondered the same thing a year ago. So I wiped my hands, pulled out my phone, and typed: "Explain Medicare Part D to me like I'm new to it." In about five seconds, a clear, friendly explanation filled the screen. Tom read it over my shoulder and said, "Huh. That's better than the pamphlet."
Well, folks, that's ChatGPT in a nutshell. Here's what it is, what it's good at, and what to watch out for.
What is ChatGPT in plain English?
ChatGPT is a computer program you have a conversation with. You type a question or a request, the way you'd ask a person, and it writes back an answer in seconds. You can also talk to it out loud on the phone app. There are no menus to learn and no special commands. Just words.
It's one of several AI chat tools. Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot work in a similar way. The folks at Senior Planet from AARP have a helpful overview of using AI as a personal assistant if you want to see more ideas.
How does ChatGPT know things?
It learned from an enormous amount of written text, and it picked up the patterns of how people explain, summarize, and write. That makes it very good with words. It does not "look things up" in the way you might imagine, and it doesn't truly understand like a person does.
That's why it can sometimes state something wrong, and sound completely sure of itself. Google says the same about its own tool: AI responses can be inaccurate. Think of it like a well-read friend who occasionally misremembers.
What is ChatGPT good for, and what should I double-check?
In plain words, ChatGPT is great for explaining things in simple words, drafting letters and emails, brainstorming recipes and gift ideas, and organizing your questions before an appointment. Double-check anything about health and medicine, money and taxes, or legal matters, plus any specific fact, date, or phone number it gives you. Use it as a starting point, then confirm with a professional or an official source.
How do I try ChatGPT for free?
In plain words, three steps. Go to chat.com in your web browser, or download the official ChatGPT app from your phone's app store. Type a question the way you'd ask a person. Then ask a follow-up, like "Can you explain that more simply?" There's a free version, and paid versions add extra features, but you don't need to pay to try it.
A good first question: "Explain something I've always wondered about, like how airplanes stay up, in simple terms, and then let me ask follow-up questions."
Is ChatGPT safe to use?
It's safe for everyday questions if you use a little common sense. Never type your Social Security number, Medicare number, bank or card numbers, or passwords into it. Your conversations may be stored, so check the privacy settings in the app, where you can choose whether your chats help improve the product. And watch out for fake "ChatGPT" apps and ads. Get the app only from the official source.
When you're ready to put it to work, my guide on using AI to explain a confusing letter is a perfect first project, and Cindy wrote about using AI to prepare for a doctor visit. Before trusting it on a suspicious message, read what AI can and can't tell you about scams.
What Tom uses it for now
Tom's hooked. Last week he asked it for step-by-step help cleaning his lawnmower's carburetor, and it worked. The week before, it told him the wrong year for a World Series his team won, and he caught it, which he enjoyed even more. "It's like a smart nephew," he says. "Helpful, but you check his math."
That's exactly the right attitude, folks.
Have you tried ChatGPT or another AI chat tool yet? Tell us in the comments what you asked it first.
