Top Ten Uses Of AI Puts Therapy And Companionship At The #1 Spot

In right this moment’s column, I take a detailed take a look at a lately launched High Ten Makes use of of AI record that covers how the general public is repeatedly making use of generative AI and huge language fashions (LLMs). A number of the makes use of may shock you, whereas some makes use of is perhaps ho-hum. Both method, it’s worthwhile to know the way your fellow people are leaning into AI and whether or not there are makes use of that you need to take into account using too.

Let’s speak about it.

This evaluation of an progressive AI breakthrough is a part of my ongoing Forbes column protection on the newest in AI, together with figuring out and explaining numerous impactful AI complexities (see the link here).

The High Makes use of Of Generative AI

In an article entitled “How Individuals Are Actually Utilizing Generative AI Now” by Marc Zao-Sanders, printed within the Harvard Enterprise Overview on April 9, 2025, a useful rating of the highest makes use of of generative AI and LLMs is supplied. The article focuses on the High Ten makes use of, however handily additionally lists a whole set of High 100 makes use of.

I’m going to pay attention right here on the High Ten makes use of.

The rating is a follow-up to 1 that creator printed in HBR final yr on March 19, 2024. Right here’s what he has to say about this newest model (excerpts):

• “Constructing upon the muse laid in final yr’s report, written up on this Harvard Enterprise Overview article, this up to date version seeks to supply a complete and systematic evaluation of how people are using Generative AI (GenAI) in 2025.”
• “The analysis methodology stays largely in line with the prior examine, using a rigorous, expert-driven curation of public discourse, sourced primarily from Reddit boards.”
• “The findings underscore a marked transition from primarily technical and productivity-driven use circumstances towards purposes centered on private well-being, life group, and existential exploration.”
• “This shift, together with the rising sophistication of AI customers, means that GenAI just isn’t merely a software for effectivity however is more and more changing into an integral a part of human decision-making, creativity, and emotional help.”

One little bit of a quibble by some is that the rating was primarily primarily based on taking a look at on-line boards comparable to Reddit and Quora to uncover what are the most well-liked said-to-be makes use of of generative AI.

Whether or not this analysis technique is an ample illustration of the populace at giant is an open query. Different related rankings have a tendency to make use of direct surveys or attempt to accumulate stats outright from AI makers. In any case, the record seems to be moderately apt to me and resonates with different rankings, together with roughly matching my very own direct expertise of asking folks how they’re making use of AI after I give talks and displays.

Revealing The High Ten

With out additional ado, right here is the High Ten rating:

• (1) Remedy/companionship.
• (2) Arrange my life.
• (3) Discover objective.
• (4) Improve studying.
• (5) Generate code.
• (6) Generate concepts.
• (7) Enjoyable and nonsense.
• (8) Enhance code.
• (9) Creativity.
• (10) More healthy dwelling.

Earlier than I do a fast rundown of why every of these occurred to develop into so well-liked, I’d ask you to quietly take a reflective second and evaluate the record to your private use of generative AI.

These are some gently inquisitive inquiries to ask your self:

• (i) Are there makes use of that landed within the High Ten that you simply’ve by no means undertaken your self, and if that’s the case, do you have to take into account attempting generative AI for these use circumstances?
• (ii) Are the makes use of just about aligned along with your utilization, and if that’s the case, does it identically match to the rating such that you simply use AI for remedy/companionship as your #1 use, then for organizing your life as your #2 use, and so forth, or is your rating completely different?
• (iii) On your most frequent private makes use of, are there elements not proven within the High Ten record, and if that’s the case, why is that utilization so well-liked for you however not the identical throughout the board?
• (iv) The High Ten tends to be formed round private use moderately than utilization for work functions (aside from maybe producing code #5 and enhancing code #8), which brings up whether or not you might be utilizing generative AI for work and if that’s the case, are you probably foregoing private use by an emphasis on work-oriented use?
• (v) Does the record of High Ten makes use of offer you any notable insights about how different individuals are utilizing generative AI, and if that’s the case, what does it say to you about your fellow people and the place society general is headed?

Seize your self a glass of fantastic wine and provides these hefty ideas a second of introspection.

Fast Particulars On Every Of The High Ten

Let’s subsequent do a fast unpacking for every of the matters within the High Ten rating. I may even present hyperlinks to further content material in case you might be additional within the particular utilization talked about.

#1. Remedy/companionship – I’ve written extensively about using generative AI for psychological well being functions and famous {that a} grand experiment is underway, particularly that entry to AI-powered non-professional “remedy” is offered 24/7, almost without cost, and accessible anyplace on Earth. Will this on stability raise folks and help their psychological well being, or may it undercut their psychological well being? It’s occurring at scale, no matter being good or unhealthy. Additionally, will folks choose to make use of AI over searching for a human therapist, which might be worrisome if human-provided remedy should have been sought? However, this democratization of a type of on-the-go “remedy” is alleged to be of potential immense profit to all. For these and different very important elements of this subject, see my evaluation at the link here.

#2. Arrange my life – This use of generative AI is loads much less monumental in distinction to the #1 utilization since it’s about easy methods to arrange your life moderately than what’s occurring inside your head. On the similar time, it’s notable that individuals wish to get their act collectively and be organized in what they do. The gist is that even when the AI doesn’t present the very best recommendation on being organized, no worries, you’ll nonetheless be fantastic. This curiosity in AI as your organizational coach appears readily wise and readily inspired. Go forward and use AI to get your self extremely organized.

#3. Discover objective – If you happen to have been to ask a buddy or member of the family about discovering a objective, you may get entangled in a messy dialog that produced extra noise than assist. The good factor about AI is that it’ll stroll you step-by-step by way of a considering technique of how one can uncover your self-purpose. For extra on this, see my deep dive at the link here.

#4. Improve studying – The thrill nowadays is that all of us have to be lifelong learners. Is smart. However how will you accomplish that? Straightforward-peasy, leverage generative AI. You’d seemingly be stunned to see what number of matters that generative AI can let you know about. That being stated, don’t enable AI to be your solely supply of studying. Transcend AI, please.

#5. Generate code – An incredible functionality of generative AI is that you could inform it to generate code comparable to Python or C++, and it’ll write packages similar to a human programmer. This functionality is being significantly improved and can proceed to get higher. Proper now, by and huge, you continue to must know one thing about programming and might want to rigorously examine the generated code, check it, and many others. In the intervening time, AI isn’t but a full-on ace. For extra on this subject, see my evaluation at the link here.

#6. Generate concepts – Suppose you might be desperately attempting to give you concepts and really feel that you simply’ve struck a wall and your thoughts is clean. Log into generative AI and get the AI to help your ideation efforts. You possibly can inform the AI to offer you concepts. One other angle is to bounce round concepts with the AI, inspiring you to truly give you the concepts through sparring along with your AI accomplice.

#7. Enjoyable and nonsense – All of us want some psychological downtime to only have enjoyable and calm down. You would use a online game or play tic-tac-toe with somebody. One other route is to make use of generative AI, doing so merely to mess around. You possibly can inform the AI to give you a recreation and you’re the participant within the recreation. Or you may give you a recreation, inform the AI the principles of the sport, and see how effectively the AI performs your recreation. It’s all as much as you. For particulars, see the link here.

#8. Enhance code – This side is in the identical ballpark because the #5 on this record of High Ten AI makes use of. The distinction is that you simply give some program code to the AI and inform it to enhance or improve the code. On the one hand, your code is perhaps redone and be much more environment friendly. The fear although is that the AI can inadvertently insert one thing untoward into your code, which you may not understand is there, and afterward, as soon as that code is working someplace, the proverbial mess can hit the fan.

#9. Creativity – Do you end up at occasions not with the ability to suppose exterior the field? Some individuals are very inventive, whereas others have a troublesome time being inventive. Generative AI can spark your creativity. And, although some insist that AI can’t be inventive, I feel you’d be pleasantly stunned to see that generative AI can produce all method of inventive outputs. To study extra about how AI can produce inventive outcomes, see my clarification at the link here.

#10. More healthy dwelling – Tons of specialised apps will let you know what to eat, and when to train, and in any other case information you towards a more healthy existence. Most individuals don’t understand that generative AI can typically do likewise. Now, earlier than the app makers howl, if you happen to use generic generative AI, it gained’t be holding a database of your pursuits and general just isn’t going to do as strong a job. Think about using generative AI merely as a starter to get you into dwelling more healthy.

What About The Subsequent Ten Makes use of

Now that we’ve lined the High Ten, I’m betting you might be immensely interested in what the subsequent ten consists of.

Your want is fulfilled; listed below are the #11 to #20 rankings:

• (11) Put together for interviews.
• (12) Generate related pictures.
• (13) Particular search.
• (14) Easy explainers.
• (15) Prepare dinner with what you might have.
• (16) Troubleshoot.
• (17) Personalize studying.
• (18) Enhance confidence.
• (19) Modify tone of electronic mail.
• (20) Clarify legalese.

The final one on that record, #20 on explaining legalese, I warning you to watch out since generative AI just isn’t essentially going to provide you a stable semblance of what the authorized ramifications are of a contract or different authorized doc. It could do a broad brush however decidedly don’t depend on that as any sort of legally authoritative interpretation. For extra on easy methods to mindfully use AI for legalese explanations, see my dialogue at the link here.

Your Use Is Your Deal

The intention of this take a look at the highest makes use of of generative AI is primarily to provide you a big-picture perspective on garnering essentially the most from modern generative AI and LLMs. You ought to not underplay using generative AI, which might imply you might be lacking out on some worthwhile amenities.

Maybe take a number of “spare” minutes and sit down at generative AI to strive every of the High 20 (sure, all twenty), and see the way it goes. You possibly can skip any of the makes use of you’ve already tried earlier than.

The final phrase on this goes to the legendary Mark Twain: “The key of getting forward is getting began.” So, go forward, and get began on utilizing generative AI for these makes use of, and extra. You may strike gold.