Siri and Alexa are based on AI, using technologies like voice recognition and natural language processing to understand and respond to users’ requests. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok also rely heavily on artificial intelligence to analyze user behavior, what people watch, like, or interact with, in order to personalize and recommend content. This allows them to create highly tailored feeds that keep users engaged, but it also means the information and media you see is being filtered and shaped by algorithms rather than presented neutrally.
One surprising way in which AI is used, and I have recently learned about, is the fraud detection by banks. When you use your credit or debtor card, AI systems are constantly analysing your transactions in real time. They learn your usual spending habits, such as where you shop, how much you spend and when you normally make purchases. If a transaction looks unusual, like a purchase in another country or a very large amount, the AI quickly flags it as suspicious. This can lead to your bank sending you an alert or temporarily blocking the card to protect your money. Most of the time, this happens automatically, without any human involvement. In a simple way, AI acts like a smart security guard for your bank account.
Not sure if less-known, but I can tell that 90% of all shipped software today uses some sort of AI tool to help the development, whether that’s videogames, websites, mobile apps or the screen of your car.
Parsing documents for a summary I feel is underused since It doesn't rely on outside information so it tends to be decently reliable.
There are many such ways, you can use AI for almost anything today. Still, many people don't do it. For example, for dealing with bureaucracy and institutions, there are a lot of documents, laws and procedures you need to read, which in some cases takes days. With AI, you can complete that in minutes as it researches everything for you. Another simple thing is to have the AI check supermarket brochures for you for the products you need and see where you can buy them at the best price and location for you.
In the last 24 hours, algorithms have supported me in multiple small but important ways, often without me noticing at first. For example, when I checked social media, the content I saw was already filtered and prioritized based on my interests and behavior. This saved me time and helped me focus on relevant information. In my professional work, AI played a key role in researching destinations, doing quick and efficient analysis of data, and preparing presentations. It also helped me summarize tasks and provided practical suggestions that improved my decision-making and productivity. When I used maps or checked traffic conditions, algorithms optimized my route in real time. Even email filtering and spam detection quietly improved my workflow by organizing information and reducing noise. What is interesting is that most of these interactions feel natural and almost invisible. We don’t actively think about the algorithms, but they shape many of our daily decisions and significantly increase our efficiency.