Right now, only a tiny fraction of American households—about 3 out of 100—are actually paying money for AI tools like ChatGPT, even though interest in these services is growing. The question facing tech companies is whether AI will eventually become something everyone pays a monthly fee for, or whether it will remain free and supported by advertising instead. You can test drive these AI tools yourself for free before worrying about subscriptions—ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and others all offer free versions, so there's no rush to commit to paying for anything yet.
ChatGPT is getting a better memory so it can remember what you like and what you've told it before, making each conversation feel more personal and connected. For you, this means you won't have to keep repeating yourself or explaining the same preferences over and over again, which saves time and frustration when you use the service regularly. Worth knowing: the system learns your habits gradually, so be thoughtful about what you share with it, and check your privacy settings to see what information it's storing about you.
Doctors' offices are now using AI tools that listen to appointments and create notes, but patients are turning the tables by recording visits themselves and using smartphone apps to get summaries and reminders of what was discussed. For anyone managing health conditions or taking multiple medications, having your own written record of doctor visits can help you remember instructions, follow through on treatment plans, and catch anything you might have missed. Worth knowing: if you're considering recording your doctor's appointment, check your state's laws first—some require the doctor's permission—and ask your healthcare provider directly about their policy on patient recordings.
Google is bringing digital ID cards to your phone's wallet in some European countries starting this summer, so you won't need to carry a physical ID card for certain situations. For people who travel or need to show identification regularly, having it safely stored on your phone means one less thing to lose or forget at home. Worth knowing: this feature will roll out gradually to only a few EU countries first, so check whether your country is included before expecting to use it.
Google's AI assistant Gemini can now search through your Gmail and Google Drive files to find what you're looking for, saving you from manually hunting through hundreds of messages. If you spend time digging through old emails for a receipt, document, or forgotten detail, this feature could save you real frustration and time. You can try this if you subscribe to Google's AI services—just ask Gemini a question like "Find my electricity bill from last month" and let it do the searching for you.
A technology journalist spent an entire year letting artificial intelligence handle almost everything in her daily life—from answering texts and planning meals to driving her car and even providing emotional companionship—and is writing a book about what she learned. For people in their 50s, 70s, and 80s, this experiment offers real-world insights into how AI is quietly becoming part of everyday tasks, which matters whether you're curious about using these tools yourself or simply want to understand what your grandchildren are experiencing. Worth knowing: if you're considering letting AI help with anything from organizing your schedule to managing health information, this book and similar experiments show both the genuine conveniences and the unexpected emotional complications that can arise.
Apple is now requiring people in Texas to prove their age before downloading apps, following a new state law designed to protect children online. This matters because it's one of the first real tests of how tech companies will handle stricter rules around protecting young users—and it may signal what other states will do next. Worth knowing: if you live in Texas and use the App Store, you may be asked to verify your identity, so have a photo ID or payment method handy when you download apps.
Dashlane, a popular password manager that stores your login information, discovered that hackers broke into some user accounts by repeatedly guessing passwords and bypassing the extra security layer that protects those accounts. If you use Dashlane to keep your passwords safe, this matters because it means your stored passwords could have been at risk, even though the company says the passwords themselves remained encrypted and harder to access. You can check your Dashlane account for any suspicious activity, and if you use the same password elsewhere, it's worth changing those passwords on other websites right away.
Colorado's governor blocked a law that would have stopped companies from using detailed customer tracking to secretly adjust prices and worker pay, making it harder for people to know if they're getting a fair deal. For people on fixed incomes or watching their budgets carefully, this means companies can continue using data about your shopping habits to charge you different prices than your neighbor pays for the same item. Worth knowing: when shopping online or using store loyalty cards, you're feeding data that retailers may use to personalize prices in ways you'll never see.
Google has created a tool called Dreambeans that uses artificial intelligence to automatically turn moments from your life—pulled from your photos and emails—into illustrated cartoon stories. For someone who loves memories but finds photo albums tedious to organize, this could be a delightful way to revisit your past without lifting a finger. Worth knowing: before using it, check what personal information Google is accessing, since the tool reads through your photos and emails to create these stories.
Supernatural, a popular virtual reality fitness app that Meta was planning to close, has been saved and will continue as an independent company with new updates coming this fall. For people who've invested time and money into this workout program, this means you won't lose access to the classes and routines you've been using. Worth knowing: if you currently use Supernatural, check the app or your email in the coming months for details about how the transition to the new independent company will work.
Google's latest AI assistant, called Spark, can do impressive things like remembering personal details about you that you never actually told it—which shows how much these systems are learning about us behind the scenes. While AI companies keep promising that these tools will make us more productive and solve our problems, the writer worries they're focused on the wrong goals—squeezing more work out of our days rather than addressing what actually matters in life. Worth knowing: before using any new AI service, check what personal information it's already collected about you by reviewing your privacy settings.
