The Robot in the Room: Admitting AI’s Here to Stay & Using it Ethically

Whether you clicked this email with an open mind, or you’re ready to go toe-to-toe with me, most people are in one camp or the other when it comes to artificial intelligence. And those who are somewhere in the middle either haven’t done enough research or haven’t used it long enough to fully understand the benefits.

It’s controversial, I know, but hear me out.

I’m not trying to turn you into an AI super-fan or dismiss your concerns. AI isn’t some all-powerful force that will save or destroy us—it’s just a tool we’re all still figuring out. And before you click away or leave a snappy comment about why AI is scary or unethical, hang on. The real conversation isn’t “AI good or bad,” but “AI is here to stay… so what are we going to do about it?”

Plot Twist

Did you know you’re already using AI? Even if you don’t realize (or want to admit) it, here’s where AI is working for you on an hourly, daily, and weekly basis:

Maps – Google, Apple, and Waze all use AI to get you to where you’re going.

Weather forecasting – At least once a week, I speak into my phone, “10-day weather.” And boom, I have a mostly-accurate forecast. But it’s not coming from the desk of Spencer Christian, AL Roker, or Jim Cantore—it’s coming from AI.

Ride-Sharing – ever taken an Uber, Lyft, or Bolt? Yep—AI is what matches riders with drivers.

Online shopping – You know all those lovely Amazon recommendations you get? They’re not from AL—they’re from AI.

Recommendations from streaming services – Yes… Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube all employ sophisticated AI recommendation engines based on what you’ve liked in the past and what they think you’ll like next.

Facial recognition – Do you open anything on your phone with your face or fingerprint? They’re all being powered by AI too.

Email spam filters – Keeping your inbox clean and secure is their number one goal. Dare we thank it?

The smartest people in the room aren’t the ones yelling from one side or the other though. They’re the ones actually playing around with AI, influencing where it’s collecting its data, asking good questions, and trying to separate the real stuff from the you-know-what.

But… the ones who are fighting it tooth and nail, don’t want to listen to a podcast about it, refuse to do any research, roll their eyes at the mention of the letters, and/or think it’s 100% evil, are the ones who will be left in the dust in the very near future.

Like, tomorrow.

Humbling mistake: the first time I saw it written in an article, I thought the author was referring to his dad, uncle, brother, or grandpa. As in, AL. Albert? Alfred? Alvin? I read at least two paragraphs, wondering who this guy AL was and what the heck he was doing. And then it hit me.

Once I saw the letters “AI” in more and more blog posts, magazine articles, Instagram reels, etc., then my eyes adjusted, and I never thought of that nice AL guy again.

The Library vs. The Librarian

“So what’s the difference between what a Google search offers and what AI offers, and why should I care?” Great question.

The best explanation I’ve ever heard about an AI search vs. a Google search came last year from a friend. Think of Google as walking into a library and asking the librarian for basketball information. 

Scenario numero uno…the librarian takes you to the sports section, points out all the basketball books, and then you take them home and read them till your eyes burn. That’s kind of like Googling something and then having to click on all the blog posts, Reddit comments, and consumer reports to read about your subject and find your answer.

Scenario numero dos… you walk into the library and the librarian behind the desk is Stephen Curry. Instead of taking you to the books that you have to check out and read at home, Curry sits there with you and tells you everything he knows about the game.

Steph is AI, and he just saved you a ton of time. Think Cliff Notes on steroids. 

Test Drive

Just like anything in life (money, the Internet, food, shopping, etc.), AI has a good side and a bad side. Today, I’m focusing on the good side and giving you basic tools to help you dip your toe in the water. No one’s asking you to jump into the deep end—just to explore the possibilities of how this tool can work for you and not against you.

Here is a list of real-life scenarios, and how AI can make your life easier without making you feel like you’re cheating on a test.

Using Basic AI—ChatGPT to the Rescue

To answer your first question… yes, it’s free. And to answer your second question… no, I never copy and paste the responses and call them my own. I use AI as a tool that helps me with ideas. Just like the way you use a thesaurus, a friend’s idea, and a Google answer. 

But AI blows all of those out of the water.

Here’s a perfect example of a prompt you could customize and put into ChatGPT for an upcoming trip. Remember, getting super helpful answers really depends on what kind of a prompt you give it. The more detailed, the better. 

I’m driving from San Diego to Santa Barbara on Friday at 2 p.m. Show me the best route to take. Also tell me where the cheapest gas is between those two cities, and where I can find an In-N-Out Burger or Chick-fil-A for dinner.

Here’s another one that can help your bottom line even more: 

I’m driving my 2017 Toyota Avalon from San Francisco, CA to Phoenix, AZ. How much will it cost me in gas?

It took about four seconds to “think” and then spit out a ridiculously thorough answer, which I then trimmed so you wouldn’t feel like you were back in pre-algebra:

🚗 Key Numbers & Assumptions

• The driving distance is about 750 miles one-way.
• According to EPA/Edmunds, the 2017 Avalon gets about 30 mpg highway (21 city / 30 highway) for the non‐hybrid version.
• Let’s assume gas is around $4.50 per gallon 

💡 Cost Estimate

• At 750 miles ÷ 30 mpg = 25 gallons needed (750 ÷ 30 = 25)
• At $4.50/gal × 25 gallons = $112.50 for one way

✅ Summary

Expect to spend around $110–$120 in gas for the one‐way trip. For a round trip, double that → $220–$240. If you like, I can look up current local average gas prices along the route and give a refined estimate based on those.

Sooo helpful, right?!

Our Fam

If you asked my family if we use AI regularly to search for things and make our lives easier, we would all give you a resounding yes. In no particular order, here are our favorites:

One Son: “Grok 4 – xAI for its cool aesthetic, along with a younger, more relevant verbiage that appeals to younger audiences. And ChatGPT for its connectivity with apps, fluidity across projects, and integration with other systems and services.”

Other Son: “ChatGPT, because it was the most popular when it came out, and it’s free. And Google Gemini, when I’m using Chrome to compare answers to ChatGPT.”

Daughter-in-law: “ChatGPT app on my phone for price comparisons when I’m shopping.”

Husband: “Grok for fun and snarky responses. ChatGPT for swift speed and ability to work with different mediums.”

Me: “I like Claude because you can opt out of their user data being used for model training. Which means it doesn’t learn from me and my prompts. Super helpful when I’m using it for research as an author and thinking about copywrites.”

And since AI can literally help you with any logistical question or problem in your life, it has become our number one search tool. One of us, who shall remain nameless, is using it to create a business, but takes a break here and there to argue with it about the Bible.

If that sounds crazy in your world, let me remind you that most people Google at least one thing every single day. Our family is still asking questions and solving problems, but now we have a more robust option that feels like we each have a ridiculously intelligent, efficient, reliable, innovative, organized, and super detailed personal assistant at our fingertips. 

It’s available in the middle of the night, doesn’t complain about long hours, doesn’t need insurance, answers every question with an encouraging comment, has an IQ of approximately 120, can generate images from a written prompt, can create and sing songs that sound like legit humans, and doesn’t ever call in sick.

The Ethical Side

While talking to friends about this controversial subject, we got into the moral implications of it all. This could be a whole other blog post about the negative sides of AI. But above all, I think it’s important to zoom out and realize I’m not selling my soul to a wicked computer when I’m using AI to plan my friend’s birthday party. 

And I’m not compromising my beliefs when I use AI to explain a complicated bible verse to me either. In simple 5th-grade verbiage, por favor. 

Your Turn

Thanks for making it this far with me. Now it’s your turn. Not sure where to start? Start basic. Any question you would put into Google can now go into ChatGPT and give you faster, smarter, and more condensed results. 

Here’s a sampling of what I’ve challenged my AI assistants (we’ll call them Pamela and Brad) with this week. Except let’s be real—it’s not exactly a challenge. Pam answered every prompt lightning fast, and Brad gave me more helpful details than I asked for. 

• Tell me the best inexpensive winter activities in Southern California for families with teenagers, keeping in mind that one person has mobility issues.

• I’m having 6 friends over for our annual Christmas party and want to play at least 1 game we’ve never played before. We want it to be funny, but not a drinking game. Give me 5 ideas for games that I don’t have to purchase.

• I’m looking for a creative gift for a videographer who just got his first office and desk. Keep it under $50 and find items that can be personalized.

• I’m a professional organizer and want to know what I can write off on my taxes. Please advise how I can legally take advantage of the tax code laws. (yes, I said please to a computer)

• Give me 10 gift ideas for an older man who has everything, doesn’t hunt, doesn’t drink, doesn’t fish, and doesn’t play sports. Keep the price under $75.

• Review these 6 paragraphs from my recent blog post and tell me where I have repetition. 

• I’m looking for poké restaurants in San Diego. Tell me which ones are the healthiest with the cleanest ingredients.

Convinced yet? Go play! Have fun! Ask it a question about how to make your holidays simpler, more relaxing, cheaper, or more fun with kids. Then tell me in the comments if you’re on board with AI or not. Also, it’s totally fine if you’re not—we can still be friends.

Just don’t blame me if my buddy AL fixes his sprinkler problem, finds the best deal on Christmas slippers, learns how to get his neighbors to stop fighting, picks 3 age-appropriate movies for his kids, and writes a perfectly professional and thoughtful email while you’re still thinking of a subject line.