15 ways AI saved me time at work in 2024 – and how I plan to use it in 2025

The previous 12 months has been an enormous 12 months for AI, and we right here at ZDNET have been documenting it by way of a number of articles per day, throughout our complete editorial group. I’ve typically written a few articles every week on one facet of AI innovation or one other. It has been really thrilling and interesting to discover.

However what AI do I truly use? That is actually a two-part query. There’s the AI I exploit as a result of I attempt the whole lot I can get my fingers on to investigate and deconstruct it for you. Then there’s the AI I exploit to extend my productiveness, shorten my workflow, and save time. These two classes should not the identical factor.

For instance, whereas I typically check generative AI to create textual content, I by no means use that characteristic for any of my articles. ZDNET doesn’t permit content material generated by AI besides when it is used for example how AI works. 

Also, to be honest, I am knowledgeable author, so I do not want AI to assist me craft phrases. That is to not say generative AI for textual content era is unhealthy. It will possibly open doorways for individuals who aren’t practiced in writing, serving to them share info and craft letters, stories, and scripts. It can be an enormous profit to individuals who wrestle with a language they are not fluent in or for these with different writing challenges.

However I’ve adopted AI as a part of my productiveness stack, and it has saved me appreciable time. On this article, I’ll present you 15 methods I used AI in 2024 to extend my productiveness and streamline my workflow. I will additionally finish with a little bit of a wishlist for 2025, waiting for methods AI may show much more useful sooner or later.

Since that is my final article for 2024, please settle for my greatest needs for a beautiful vacation season and a very good New Yr. I will see you on the flip facet. And now, listed below are 15 methods AI elevated my productiveness in 2024.

1. I used AI to assist me program

I discovered that ChatGPT (and not a lot the opposite chatbots) was very useful when coding a few of the extra rote components of my tasks. I used AI for frequent data coding (API interfaces, for instance), for writing CSS selectors, for writing common expressions, and to check common expressions, amongst different issues.

I am fairly positive my AI use saved me a couple of month of programming time throughout the 12 months.

2. I used AI to elucidate what a block of code does

A variety of fashionable programming entails working with code different individuals wrote. So much additionally entails working with code you wrote years in the past and do not recall the main points.

A couple of occasions throughout my coding, I copied a block of code, pasted it into ChatGPT, and requested the AI what the code does. Normally, the AI won’t solely inform you what the code does, it’ll additionally break down the sections that will help you dissect it.

3. I used AI to assist me debug code

As I discussed, the AI will inform you what a block of code does. Meaning you possibly can feed an AI a block of code which may not work. I discovered that I may feed code and error messages to ChatGPT, and it might determine what I used to be doing fallacious.

This was such a robust characteristic that I added it to my testing suite. Now, we will use it to validate how effectively an AI can decide why a block of code is damaged.

4. I used AI to assist me do buyer sentiment evaluation

After doing a reasonably measurable replace to certainly one of my merchandise, I used to be involved about whether or not or not customers preferred it or discovered it problematic. I get tech help requests, however not normally sufficient to gauge the sentiment of my consumer base. However I do seize customers’ causes for uninstalling my product, which provides me an enormous database of English language causes and knowledge fields.

I fed all of that to the AI, and it gave me again fascinating charts and knowledge evaluation with out requiring weeks of programming. In a matter of minutes, I had my reply: customers typically have been happier with the brand new launch. Yay.

5. I used AI to create photographs for my albums

One of many greatest methods AI provides worth to my workflow is in graphics and video manufacturing. Whereas I have been a reasonably good inventive director, I’m not an illustrator. So, I discovered the flexibility to do text-to-image (and all of the associated graphics options) vastly useful.

Final 12 months, I used AI to create the album cowl for my EP “Home of the Head.” This 12 months, I used Midjourney to create the album cowl for my second EP, “Selections are Voices.”

6. I used AI to fill and repair my pictures

I take plenty of pictures, some for myself and a few as illustrations for my many tasks. A few of these pictures enter the digital camera completely composed, however most of them have one thing that must be cleaned up — whether or not it is a bit of litter within the background, a desk that does not prolong far sufficient, or distractions that take away from the picture.

I have been utilizing Photoshop to wash up my photographs for many years. However when generative fill popped onto the scene, together with a few of Photoshop’s different AI enhancements, together with distraction removing (for energy strains and such), it helped me save photographs which may in any other case have been unusable.

7. I used AI to generate vector graphics

Relating to Adobe merchandise, Photoshop is my every day driver. I exploit Illustrator, however principally to resize and modify photographs from clipart libraries I’ve purchased to be used in big PowerPoint shows. I additionally use Illustrator to configure and arrange slicing directions for my Glowforge laser cutter, which handles PDFs fairly properly.

Earlier this 12 months, Adobe launched a type of generative fill that creates vector-based photographs, which you’ll then ungroup and deconstruct into elements which can be simple to resize and reuse. Whereas I have never wanted these options for a lot of my workflow, they’re spectacular. I hope to make use of them extra over time.

8. I used AI to generate month-to-month photographs for e-commerce

My spouse Denise owns a small e-commerce enterprise for individuals with a specific curiosity in a very talked-about passion. She hosts a really lively Fb group, the place one of many group’s favourite actions is creating month-to-month tasks based mostly on a theme she presents initially of the month.

Every month, I exploit Midjourney to make an image that evokes that theme. I’ve tried DALL-E 3 and Photoshop, however neither does justice to the subject material. However Midjourney principally nails it. So, I exploit Midjourney to create the picture and infrequently convey the picture into Photoshop to zhush it up. These photographs present the inspiration that encourages hobbyists to craft dozens of spectacular new creations every month.

9. I used AI to create transferring masks in video clips

Masking in video is the method of separating one a part of the video from one other. For my movies, the concept is to separate me from the background so I can modify the colour, brightness, and distinction of my face and physique separate from the background. I’ve additionally used masking to cover the background, changing it with one thing new.

10. I used AI to wash up crappy audio in my movies

Earlier than I moved to the DJI Mic 2, I used a reasonably costly however shockingly unhealthy Bluetooth lavalier mic. Typically, the takes have been good. Different occasions, they have been simply plain horrible. I typically needed to do retakes when it turned clear that the audio in my footage was unusable.

Sooner or later, I accomplished a very harrowing take that might not be redone. Regardless of all my pre-checks, the audio turned out to be painful to take heed to. So I uploaded it to Adobe’s Improve Speech AI software, and it labored wonders with my horrible take. I’ve used it just a few extra occasions since then.

11. I used AI to auto-track me whereas filming

When a tv actor or host strikes round on set, there’s normally a digital camera operator who follows the movement. While you do your personal YouTube movies, you are just about by yourself. A few of the greatest YouTube channels mimic TV set operations, however my channel is simply me, some instruments, and a little bit of barely cranky angle.

I’ve tried monitoring gimbals a bunch of occasions earlier than, however it wasn’t till I discovered the Hohem iSteady V3 that I had any actual success. Its monitoring is sort of good as a result of its on-device AI picture evaluation, and it additionally works with out an app, which is certainly one of my favourite options. I simply flip it on, mount my telephone, make one of some foolish gestures to inform it what I need, and it simply works.

12. I used AI for challenge analysis

For instance, I wanted to bend a bit of 1/4-inch thick aluminum 90 levels for certainly one of my tasks. Totally different grades of aluminum are softer or more durable and can both bend simply or require warmth to keep away from cracking.
I came upon the mannequin variety of the aluminum I purchased at my native ironmongery shop and requested ChatGPT for the alloy quantity, which signifies hardness. Then I requested ChatGPT, based mostly on that alloy quantity and the 1/4-inch thickness, whether or not I wanted to warmth the metallic earlier than bending. ChatGPT mentioned sure, I wanted to warmth it.

13. I used AI to assist me write articles within the lavatory

And in mattress. And within the workshop. And whereas making eggs. And on the ironmongery shop. And in a bunch of different locations and circumstances.

With iOS 18, Apple added the flexibility for the Voice Recording app to transcribe voice recordings. I mixed that with my Apple Watch. Now, it doesn’t matter what I am doing, if I’ve some helpful ideas, I can report just a few sentences or paragraphs proper into the Voice Recording app on my telephone, then later transcribe them and drop them into an article. Since I do plenty of enthusiastic about articles once I’m not in entrance of the keyboard, this can be a wonderful means for me to seize these nuggets and save time.

14. I used AI to assist enhance 3D print high quality

I truly used AI with 3D printing in two pretty totally different areas. One was analytics. I had a 3D check print (referred to as a Benchy) that printed far sooner utilizing directions straight from the manufacturing facility than something I used to be in a position to reproduce utilizing customary software program instruments. So I fed the G-code (robotic directions) to ChatGPT and requested it for an evaluation. The conclusion: the manufacturing facility model tweaked sure velocity and high quality settings to make it run sooner.

Two of my latest 3D printers additionally declare to make use of AI to assist enhance print high quality and handle jams. I can not independently confirm whether or not they’re AI washing or actually utilizing AI of their printer operations. However I can say that each produce nicer prints — with greater ranges of reliability than printers whose distributors do not declare to make use of AI.

15. I used AI to fly my drone

Trendy drones are wonderful. Again within the day, I had a radio-controlled helicopter, which I crashed. So much. Flying a helicopter is difficult. You don’t have any concept how exhausting it’s till you attempt with an RC toy. The talent of actual helicopter pilots flying actual individuals is jaw-dropping.

However drones make that every one appear easy. They’ve built-in AI that understands all of the aerodynamics of lifting an object into the air and making it go the place you need it to go. Yesterday, the truth is, I despatched up my DJI Mavic Professional to get some property footage for laying out a posh safety digital camera grid. After finishing its mission, I simply tapped “Return to House.” It dealt with all of the return navigation and landed itself completely and easily proper in entrance of me.

What I would like AI to do for me in 2025…

The top of AI, for me, could be a robotic that may go to the kitchen, brew and put together a cup of espresso, and produce it to me on the sofa. “Alexa, convey me espresso,” ought to lead to an precise cup of espresso, ready precisely as I prefer it. In any other case, what good is it to be dwelling sooner or later?

In any other case, listed below are some issues I would love to do with AI. Be aware that the video enhancing gadgets beneath do exist in some functions, however they are not out there in Remaining Lower, which is my enhancing software. Different capabilities both do not exist or aren’t ok to assist with my workflow output.

Right here we go. My wishlist.

• I would like to make use of AI to take away pauses and different waste in video clips. This course of may be very time-consuming, and it ought to be potential with a click on of the mouse.
• I would like to make use of AI to wash up ums and uhs from audio. This is identical concept as above, however for audio takes.
• I would like Remaining Lower to supply the identical sort of audio restore that Adobe affords in its on-line Improve Speech software.
• I would like to make use of AI to generate video clips for music movies and B-roll for YouTube movies. We’re seeing the beginnings of this with OpenAI’s Sora, however I would prefer it as simple and commonplace as text-to-image is now. I would additionally prefer it to supply clips of as much as 30 seconds.
• I would like to make use of AI to really handle my incoming electronic mail and filters. I do not want AI to make my emails sound friendlier. I want it to assist me sift by way of the metric ton of crap I get every day.
• I would like to make use of AI to dimension my 3D fashions. After I’m designing one thing to suit a real-world half, I spend hours to days taking caliper measurements, translating that right into a 3D design, testing, printing, and redoing it. I would like to have the ability to simply take just a few footage of an object and have the AI absolutely dimension the whole factor so I may then translate that into my challenge.

AI has come a good distance in the previous few years, however it has an enormous future forward as effectively. What have you ever used AI for in 2024? What would you like AI to have the ability to do for you subsequent 12 months? Have you ever used AI as a novelty, or have you ever built-in it into your common workflow? Tell us within the feedback beneath.

You may observe my day-to-day challenge updates on social media. Make sure to subscribe to my weekly replace e-newsletter, and observe me on Twitter/X at @DavidGewirtz, on Fb at Fb.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.