AI might seem complex and difficult to make sense of, but chances are you’re already using it more than you think.

From the apps on your phone to the way you shop, AI is quietly working behind the scenes, streamlining aspects of your personal and professional life – and all without the need for any tech know-how.

Here are four time-saving ways you’re already using AI – probably without even thinking about it…

Have you noticed how your inbox organises itself these days, sending scams to spam and organising promotional emails? From email filters to smart replies, AI is the secret force behind that administrative magic.

Take Gmail for example. Gmail tabs rely on a classification system that uses machine learning to decide where an email should go based on different signals, like who sent the email.

It also goes further than avoiding unwanted messages – the generative AI embedded in Gmail is there to save you the time and effort of writing that first version. 

If you’ve ever tapped a one-click reply like “Sounds good, thanks” you’ve benefited from AI’s ability to streamline your communication and save you time.

Take a cursory look through your camera roll, and you’ll probably find it packed to bursting with close-up shots of pastries and a hundred ever-so-slightly-different versions of last week’s group pic at the uni catch-up dinner.

Even if you’re good at deleting the duds as you go, it can still be hard to prevent treasured memories from getting buried in the pile, but the AI in Google Photos does make it easier to find them again.

If you’ve ever opened up the app and found your memories organised by the people, places and things in each shot, without you having tagged or labelled them, that’s another great example of AI at work.

It’s an extremely handy time-saver when you’re trying to sort through thousands of images…

From setting your morning alarm to controlling your smart lights, virtual helpers like Google Assistant have become a staple in many households. These voice-activated assistants may seem like simple tools, but they rely heavily on AI to understand and process your requests.

AI helps virtual assistants recognise natural language, so when you ask your phone to play your favourite playlist, it’s AI that processes the command, finds the music and plays it.

Whether it’s setting reminders, ordering a food shop or giving you real-time traffic updates, AI is there to make your day run more smoothly.

And with the rise of smart home devices, these assistants can even manage your lighting, heating and security systems with a voice command.

If you’ve ever needed quick customer support, an AI-powered chatbot was probably involved in solving your query.

Some businesses use AI chatbots to help collate your information before you’re connected to a customer support representative, in order to help speed up the process.

Others use chatbots to provide direct support for more basic issues, like answering questions, guiding you through purchases or even troubleshooting simple technical issues.

The result? Less of your precious time spent hanging around on hold, and more of your to-do list ticked off as quickly and painlessly as possible.

As you can see, whether you’re sorting through photos, writing an email or using a virtual assistant, AI is quietly working in the background, simplifying your life and helping you take your time back. But the good news is, you don’t need to stop there – you can easily take your understanding of AI to the next level.

If you’re curious about how AI works and want to learn more, Google’s AI Essentials courses are a great place to start. Designed to demystify AI and make it accessible to everyone, courses cover the fundamentals of AI and its everyday applications, empowering you to go beyond just using AI tools and start mastering them.

“These courses are ideal for people looking to understand the basics of AI without needing any background knowledge,” says Sarah Lewin, Marketing Manager, Google UK.

AI needn’t feel daunting, because you’re already using it. With Google’s easy-to-follow courses, you can take control of your AI knowledge and start engaging with it in new and exciting ways.

Want to learn how Google’s AI tools can help you take your time back? From present planning to career dreaming, AI tools can help you take on the to-do list with renewed creativity and efficiency, leaving you free to focus on what truly matters to you in work and life. Google’s AI Essentials courses are the perfect place to improve your AI understanding, through both in-depth knowledge and practical tools. Find out more and sign up here.