By Kelsey Little, Administrative Assistant - Project Management Office
We’ve all been there.
You’re at a restaurant staring at beef carpaccio on the menu, unsure of what it is or how to pronounce it. You’re hosting a book club but didn’t finish the book and your guests are arriving in 15 minutes. You’re invited to a baby shower but have no idea what people mean when they say, “sleep sack” or “onesie” (aren’t those the same thing?)
Enter: AI.
It won’t judge. It won’t sigh or raise an eyebrow. And with just a few taps on your phone, you can go from confused to confident.
While many of KDL’s conversations around artificial intelligence focus on the big stuff (ethics, privacy, the environment - all important!), this post is dedicated to something more everyday: how AI has helped me look calm, capable, and like I totally know what I’m doing… even when I absolutely did not.
Here are a few personal favorites where AI came to my rescue:
The Mystery Washing Machine: While traveling abroad, we rented a house with a washing machine that had zero words and only cryptic symbols (triangles, wavy lines, boxes with slashes). We had no idea which setting would wash our clothes vs. possibly cook them. I snapped a photo of the machine and asked ChatGPT to identify the model and recommend the right cycle for mixed-colored clothes in cold water. It explained everything, from buttons controlling the water temperature to which icon I should select for our load. Laundry: conquered.
Ski Bindings for Newbies: Last winter, my partner and I decided to try cross-country skiing for the first time. We’ve downhill skied, but this was new territory. The bindings were different, and no matter how many times we tried, we couldn’t get our boots to click in. Determined not to look like total newbies, we took a photo, uploaded it, and asked ChatGPT what we were doing wrong. Within seconds, we had step-by-step instructions. Problem solved, dignity intact.
Side note: Cross-country skiing is so fun. Try it out!
Once you start using AI this way, you realize it’s the ultimate wingmate for real-life moments you’d rather not admit you’re unsure about. A few ideas:
- Forgot how to pronounce someone’s name? Ask AI and get it right before your next meeting.
- Trying to fix a leaky faucet but don’t know the name of that little rubber thing? Ask AI and sound like a DIY pro at the hardware store. Your dad will be so impressed!
- Reading a text from your teen about ‘rizzing someone up’ and not sure if that’s good or illegal? AI can decode Gen Z for you.
Of course, AI isn’t perfect. It will get things wrong or confidently tell you to use glue for your homemade pizza instead of cheese. More importantly, AI isn’t human. Our world is saturated with influencers and highlight reels and we’re under constant pressure to seem like experts at everything. Combine these pressures with AI’s promise for instant answers, and there is a real risk of erosion of human empathy, learning and connection. A recent article from the Journal of Media and Communication Studies cautions that a growing reliance on AI can bring “reduced empathy in communication, increased dependence on technology, and the potential loss of authenticity in interactions.”
While AI has absolutely helped me troubleshoot and save face, I don’t want to lose the habit of turning to others. Relying on our community, our village - that's what makes us stronger. When we ask others for help, it’s more than information-sharing. It’s a chance to connect and grow, to laugh while we learn together.
At Kent District Library, we’re always here to help you figure things out. Whether you’re learning a new skill, solving a tricky problem, or just curious about how AI works, we’ve got your back with books, online education classes, in-person programs or one-on-one sessions, and staff who actually love answering questions. Our hope is that you feel empowered to explore AI in a way that supports your learning and curiosity and just as importantly, that you know KDL is here to foster real connection.
AI can help you fake it.
KDL can help you actually make it.
Misnawati, D., Citrawijaya, O. R., Farida & Arlusi, R. D. (2025, Feb. 3). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Interaction: Redefining Communication Norms. The Journal of Academic Science, 2(1).
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