5 ways AI helps me be more productive TechTricks365

AI is often seen as a mere buzzword companies like to throw around to make their products and services look more appealing. And while it’s true that not all AI-related features prove useful, there are AI services I rely on heavily daily that have really made me more efficient and productive.

Gemini, for example, has proven invaluable for me, both professionally and personally. Then there’s NotebookLM, a powerful tool many are still unaware of. I want to share five real-world examples of how these tools help me daily, hoping to spark your imagination and perhaps reveal use cases for your own needs.

I can get a lot more done at work thanks to Gemini. As a Senior Editor here at Android Authority, my role involves not only writing content but also generating ideas for new articles and assisting with various ongoing projects.

Gemini significantly speeds up my workflow. It helps me craft more compelling titles, brainstorm fresh and engaging topics, and even proofread my writing for typos. I also leverage it to quickly analyze lengthy documents, providing summaries or extracting specific information when needed, saving the time I would otherwise spend sifting through files manually.

I actually have a custom Gem set up specifically for this purpose, which streamlines things even further. Gemini already knows exactly what to do when I share a draft of a post or an idea. Beyond content creation, Gemini is invaluable for various projects I manage, helping me get organized and develop clear action plans.

While I could accomplish most of these tasks independently, Gemini accelerates the process so dramatically that not using it would be a waste.

I recently purchased a new apartment and bought a lot of new appliances, including the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, and a new TV. Each appliance came with an instruction manual, which I inevitably need to consult at times, especially if something isn’t working correctly.

This is where NotebookLM comes into play. Instead of searching for a physical copy of the manual and sifting through potentially dozens of pages to find an answer, I simply uploaded digital copies of all these manuals to NotebookLM. I keep them organized in one dedicated notebook. Now, when I have a question about an issue or a specific feature, I just type it in, and the answer appears within seconds.

It’s incredibly fast and easy compared to the traditional method of locating and browsing a physical manual, a process that often causes frustration. Locating the physical manual itself can be a challenge, given my less-than-perfect organizational skills, but finding the specific answer within it is often even more time-consuming. NotebookLM removes both hurdles, which is truly good for my nerves.

This isn’t the only way I use the service. I also have all the documents related to my real estate purchase in one notebook, allowing me to quickly access details like warranty information or emergency contact numbers for the building.

Gemini offers seamless integration with various Google services, especially Gmail. I’ve been a Gmail user for years, and while I appreciate its features, I’ve often struggled to quickly locate a specific email or attachment.

Gemini’s integration has revolutionized this for me. I can use it either directly within the Gemini interface or via the Gemini extension that appears in my Gmail sidebar. A simple prompt like, “Find the file my colleague Andy sent me last week,” and voilà, it appears instantly. No more sifting through hundreds of emails to find what I need.

I can also ask Gemini to show me the last email from a specific contact, list all emails received today, or even summarize a lengthy message. The time savings are truly tremendous.

Admittedly, it’s not a flawless tool. When I first tried it last year, it was occasionally hit-and-miss. However, Gemini is evolving rapidly, and the integration is now significantly more reliable and effective.

Gemini is equally valuable for my personal projects. I enjoy learning new things and occasionally become deeply interested in a specific topic, wanting to absorb as much information as possible. Regardless of the subject, I consistently turn to Gemini Live.

I spend a significant portion of my workday typing, so I prefer to avoid doing the same after hours. Furthermore, when diving deep into a complex topic like the stock market, for example, I often have numerous follow-up questions. Engaging in a voice conversation with AI significantly speeds up the learning process compared to typing out prompts.

Gemini Live is remarkably natural; at times, it’s easy to forget you’re interacting with an AI rather than a person. I can interrupt or redirect the conversation if needed, and it handles corrections smoothly if it misunderstands. It usually provides very detailed answers about the topics I’m interested in. I love being able to relax on my couch and simply start a conversation. This conversational approach allows me to learn a lot more, much faster, than the often time-consuming process of traditional web searching.

Of course, Gemini Live is not perfect. It’s currently quite bad in my native language, so I stick to English. And like most other AI tools, it does tend to hallucinate, providing incorrect answers. It’s challenging to spot these inaccuracies because Gemini presents information with confidence, so I often maintain a healthy degree of skepticism towards its replies. However, traditional online sources found through Google Search can also contain inaccuracies, so I don’t feel I’m significantly worse off in terms of reliability compared to manual research.

I’m not particularly fond of being in front of the camera, but I still take photos, especially when traveling or experiencing something new. A common problem with many of these photos is the presence of other people in the shot. When my partner tries to take a photo of me in front of a landmark or building in a busy city, the chances of me being alone in the shot are virtually nil.

In the past, removing unwanted people from photos typically required using professional software like Photoshop. This wasn’t a quick or simple process; it required specific skills and knowledge of the software.

Thanks to AI tools like Google’s Magic Editor, anyone can remove unwanted people or objects from images within seconds, without needing any specialized editing skills. I simply open an image in Google Photos, select the Magic Editor option, and tap or circle the elements I want to remove. It makes a significant difference to have a photo of myself alone in front of a landmark like the London Bridge, as opposed to having a dozen or more strangers crowding the frame.

Of course, like any AI tool, it’s not perfect. It occasionally makes mistakes, and in some complex images, it’s less effective or even useless. However, it works remarkably well in most scenarios, saving me the considerable time I would otherwise spend attempting manual edits.

These are just a few examples of how AI tools enhance my productivity and simplify daily tasks. Now, I’d love to hear from you. What AI or other tools do you rely on to boost your productivity? Share your experience in the comments below.