aiGED

AI in Medicine: The Breakthroughs Hiding in Plain Sight

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

You've heard it plenty of times — AI is going to transform medicine, cure cancer, change everything. And then you open the health section of your favorite newspaper and... nothing. No AI. Just doctors, researchers, and breakthroughs. So which is it? In this episode of aiGED, Ginny makes the case that the AI revolution in medicine isn't coming. It's already here — you just need to know where to look.

Using two recent New York Times stories as her guide — one about predicting lung cancer five years before diagnosis, another about editing human embryo DNA with unprecedented precision — Ginny shows exactly how AI is powering the most exciting medical advances of our time without ever getting the headline. Along the way, she explains what "machine learning" actually means when it shows up buried in a scientific article, and why the generation that watched computers quietly change everything is perfectly positioned to recognize this pattern.

Also in this episode: two exercises from a neuroscientist you've probably never tried (one involves smelling things), and a 72-year-old who is still running experiments on his own life and finally found five habits that stuck — not because they required discipline, but because they didn't. In AI for Good, two AI tools are predicting hunger crises and child malnutrition before they happen, from 95 countries down to individual villages. And Ginny's recommendation comes straight from her farmers market haul — including a mouse situation she handled with a quick photo and a question to Claude.

If you've been waiting for AI to show up in the medical news you read every week — it already has. Tune in and you'll never miss it again. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

SHOW LINKS:

📰 "I'm a Neuroscientist..." — The Medium (subscription required: $5/mo or $50/yr)

https://medium.com/in-fitness-and-in-health/im-a-neuroscientist-i-do-these-3-overlooked-exercises-daily-to-age-better-6d930fe7f0f7

📰 "I'm 72 and Still Running Experiments..." — The Medium (subscription required: $5/mo or $50/yr)

https://medium.com/illumination-retirement-aging-legacy/im-72-and-still-running-experiments-on-my-own-life-2555638cdf7b

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Welcome Back Bitsy

01:43 AI News Aging Exercises

03:52 Smell Memory Link

04:28 Life Experiments at 72

06:14 AI for Good Spotlight

07:50 Breakthroughs Hiding Plain Sight

09:06 New York Times AI Footnotes

12:16 AI in the Exam Room

16:17 Farmers Market AI Tips

17:47 Listener Question AI Power

19:11 Homework and Wrap Up

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI Is Reshaping Work for Everyone - From Wall Street to the Electrician Next Door

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

AI and jobs. It’s the conversation nobody wanted to have — and now everybody is having. In this episode of aiGED, host Ginny Deerin digs into what’s really happening to the job market: the layoffs, the industries being transformed, and the jobs we thought were safe that aren’t. From Wall Street banks shedding 15,000 employees while posting record profits, to a French factory that just made electricians optional, the examples are real and they’re everywhere.

But there’s a hopeful side to this story too. Stanford economist Erik Brynjolfsson argues that companies using AI to make workers more productive — rather than just replacing them — actually get bigger gains. We look at a real company doing exactly that, and what it means for the rest of us. Plus: a line that stopped Ginny cold — “You may not be interested in AI, but AI is interested in you.”

Also in this episode: Pope Leo XIV weighs in on AI and human dignity in his first encyclical. A delightful piece on how to be old (and grab the chicken leg). Two AI for Good stories — one about a potential one-shot cholesterol treatment, and one about blind riders experiencing independence through Waymo. And Ginny’s recommendation: put down the screen and get crafty.

It’s never too late to learn something new — especially something that might make life easier, and especially more fun.

SHOW LINKS:

NYT: Main Takeaways From Pope Leo’s Encyclical on A.I. — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/us/pope-leo-encyclical-highlights.html

NYT: How to Be Old — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/opinion/aging-advice.html

NYT: A.I. Doesn’t Have to Mean Layoffs — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/business/economy/ai-jobs-productivity.html

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back From Italy

01:07 AI Commencement Surprise

02:31 Pope On AI And Dignity

05:21 How To Be Old

06:46 AI For Good Highlights

08:46 Jobs Reality Check

09:55 Banking Job Cuts

11:56 Beyond Banks And Hiring Freeze

13:39 Trades Aren't Immune

15:08 Hopeful Path Forward

18:44 Chief Question Officer Future

21:41 Get Crafty Recommendation

23:08 New Bitsy And Signoff

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Ep 38 - AI in Tuscany: 10 Real Ways Claude Helped in Italy

Thu, 28 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Dear Kevin Frazier: Come On My Podcast

Tue, 19 May 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Recording from a little apartment in Pienza, Italy, host Ginny Deerin reads an open letter — out loud, on air — to Kevin Frazier, the law professor who wrote “Your grandma should be using AI” for Fortune magazine. She agrees with a lot of it. She has a few thoughts about the rest. And she has an invitation.

Also in this episode: Apple is planning to let iPhone users choose their own AI this fall — whether that’s Claude, Gemini, or sticking with Apple’s own. Ginny explains why more competition is actually great news for the 65+ crowd.

Two recommendations this week: why Ginny is building a life timeline with AI’s help while traveling in Italy with her siblings — and AllTrails, the hiking app that put her in the middle of a Tuscany wheat field she never would have found on her own.

SHOW LINKS:

Fortune article by Kevin Frazier: https://fortune.com/2026/05/13/ai-elderly-seniors-policy-waymo-elliq-loneliness-gap/

AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com

Apple iOS 27 AI story (TechCrunch): https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/05/apple-plans-to-make-ios-27-a-choose-your-own-adventure-of-ai-models/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome From Tuscany
00:22 iPhone AI Choice Coming
02:05 Why It Matters Seniors
02:57 Fortune Article Setup
03:37 Letter From Pienza
05:18 Where I Push Back
06:04 ElliQ And Real Needs
06:30 Invitation To Kevin
07:27 Recommendations And Links
07:39 Build Your Life Timeline
09:15 Wrap Up And Safety

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Italy Travel Tips: How I Used AI When the WiFi Failed

Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400

I'm reporting live from Pienza — a tiny, gorgeous, medieval town in Tuscany where the wine is excellent and the internet is, as my mother would say, S-H-I-TTY. Real-time voice conversations with Claude? Absolutely not happening. But my AI has still been incredibly useful out here — just not in the ways I expected.

This week I'm sharing eight things I've used Claude for since landing in Italy, and almost all of them involve pointing my phone camera at something I don't understand. A washing machine with Italian dials. A church sign in Italian. A medicine box from the farmacia. A local art exhibit poster. Plants along a trail. Each time, a quick photo and a simple question got me exactly what I needed — no WiFi required.

Also this week: two recommendations worth adding to your travel toolkit. First, a heartfelt case for taking a trip with your siblings — and why a month in Tuscany has turned into a masterclass in family history. And second, the AllTrails app, which led me on a walk through wheat fields so gorgeous they looked like a postcard.

Come join me in Tuscany.

SHOW LINKS: 🥾 AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome From Tuscany
01:02 Internet Reality Check
02:42 AI Travel Wins
03:37 Photo Translation Tricks
05:16 Everyday Problem Solving
06:13 Keep Expectations Grounded
06:38 Trip With Siblings
08:06 AllTrails Hiking App
10:12 Closing Thoughts And Safety

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

How to Use AI for Work, Travel, and Daily Life

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

My friend, Bill, isn’t a tech expert — he’s a consultant, pickleball player, and self-described regular guy who started using AI and never looked back. He calls his ChatGPT assistant “John,” and the two of them have something he only half-jokingly calls a bromance.

In this episode, Bill shares how he uses AI for business reports, travel planning, tax calculations, writing an obituary for a friend, planning a dinner party, and even choosing the perfect exterior paint color for his new house. His take: if you ask the right questions, it never really lets you down.

Also in this episode — a robot that just beat the human world record in a half-marathon, AI personal trainers taking over from human coaches, and a New York Times love letter that I guarantee will make your day.

Come on in — you’re going to love Bill.

SHOW LINKS:

📰 “A Robot Named Lightning” — NYT (Adeel Hassan, April 19)

📰 “To Reach Their Fitness Goals, They Hired ‘CoachGPT’” — NYT (Chris Cohen, April 18)

📚 The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

📰 “My Wife Is 85. She Takes My Breath Away” — NYT (Roger Rosenblatt, April 18)

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to aiGED

00:20 Robot Wins Half Marathon

01:44 Coach GPT Fitness Trend

03:12 Meet Bill the Guest

05:26 Travel Planning with AI

05:54 Choosing Your Chatbot

07:20 AI as Daily Sidekick

08:17 Templates and Writing Help

11:19 Home and Life Planning

12:50 Cooking and Voice Chat

13:28 AI Risks and Caution

15:48 Recommendations and Homework

17:54 Wrap Up and Farewell

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Using AI to Plan My Italy Trip: 11 Things I Asked Claude

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

I’m heading to Italy (Rome, Pienza and Florence) at the end of April for a month with my three siblings — and Claude has been my behind-the-scenes planning partner. This week I’m sharing 11 real things I asked my AI to help me with: from TSA rules for power banks and Italian electrical adapters, to turning a friend’s detailed Rome notes into two walking tours, cracking coffee bar etiquette, and getting my custom Google Maps working on my iPhone.

Also this week: two AI news stories worth a listen, a hilarious Instagram recommendation that will make you laugh and think, and homework — five scammer red flags inspired by a friend’s painful experience — that could protect someone you love.

Pull up a chair. This one’s got a little bit of everything.

SHOW LINKS:

📰 Americans losing trust in AI for healthcare: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2026-04-07/americans-may-be-losing-trust-for-ai-in-health-care-survey

📰 Stanford HAI 2026 AI Index Report: https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report

📸 husk.irl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/husk.irl

🔗 NCOA scam resources: https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-are-ai-scams-a-guide-for-older-adult

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Updates

01:15 AI Health Trust News

02:14 AI Adoption Explosion

03:15 Italy Trip Prep Begins

04:21 Power and Plug Planning

06:44 Rome Notes to Walking Tours

08:56 Food and Cafe Etiquette

11:59 Strikes and Book Picks

13:50 Seat Picks and Calendar Magic

17:23 Maps on iPhone

18:54 Husk IRL Recommendation

21:21 Scam Red Flags Homework

24:34 Final Wrap Up

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

What AI Is Going to Do to Education — From Elementary School to College, What Could Actually Happen

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

If you have grandkids, great-grandkids, or kids down the street, this episode is for you. Ginny has been doing a lot of reading on what AI might actually do to our schools — not in a vague, hand-wavy way, but in a real, picture-by-picture way. What could a classroom look like in three to five years? What happens to college? And what does any of this mean for the kids we love? That’s what this episode is about.

Ginny walks through three different age groups — elementary school, middle and high school, and college — and paints multiple scenarios for each. Along the way she shares the story of a $3 million AI chatbot that collapsed in three months, a private school where kids spend just two hours a day on AI-powered lessons, a University of Pennsylvania study showing students learning six to nine months ahead of their peers, and a Princeton professor whose students said something about AI that Ginny hasn’t been able to stop thinking about.

In the news this week: a New York Times investigation into how accurate Google’s AI Overviews really are (the answer might surprise you — or maybe not), and a brand new Gallup survey of more than 1,500 young Americans that reveals how Gen Z really feels about AI right now. Spoiler: they’re curious, frustrated, and a little bit angry — all at the same time. Ginny also recommends a road trip to the zoo with a three-year-old and makes the case for bringing popcorn back into your life.

If you’ve been nodding along whenever someone says “AI is going to change education” but couldn’t quite picture what that actually means — this episode will help you see it.

SHOW LINKS:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/technology/google-ai-overviews-accuracy.html

https://news.gallup.com/poll/708224/gen-adoption-steady-skepticism-climbs.aspx

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Welcome and Preview

01:22 Google AI Overviews Accuracy

04:24 Gen Z Feelings on AI

07:01 Education in 3 to 5 Years

08:35 Elementary School Scenarios

12:10 Middle and High School Futures

17:54 College and the Future of Degrees

23:05 Key Takeaways on Learning

23:55 Recommendations Zoo Trip Planning

26:27 Wrap Up and Safety Reminders

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

The Most Powerful AI Ever Built, Cybersecurity Risks, and What It Means for You

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

On April 7th, Anthropic announced Claude Mythos — described as “by far the most powerful AI model we’ve ever developed.” But instead of releasing it to the public, they locked it away. In this episode, Ginny explains what Mythos can do, why it matters to everyday people, and what the emergency meeting between the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and America’s biggest banks was all about.

Mythos identified thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities — hidden security flaws — across every major operating system and browser, including a 27-year-old bug in software used in internet routers. Anthropic responded by forming Project Glasswing, a coalition of 40 organizations working to patch those vulnerabilities before bad actors can exploit them. Ginny breaks it all down in plain English, including what you can do right now to protect yourself.

Also in this episode — ten hands-free Siri commands for safer driving, Palantir CEO Alex Karp’s provocative take on which workers will thrive in an AI economy (hint: it’s not the elite degree holders), plus recommendations for the NYT Cooking app and a five-ingredient lemon-lime cream dessert that looks far more impressive than it is.

Links to all articles and the recipe are in the show notes. And don’t skip this week’s homework: check for software updates and install them. After this episode, you’ll know exactly why.

SHOW LINKS:

10 Things You Can Ask Siri While Driving — https://medium.com/@justinpineda/10-things-you-can-ask-siri-while-driving-250595c8f2e7

Palantir CEO Says Only Two Types Will Survive AI — https://medium.com/predict/palantir-ceo-says-only-two-types-will-survive-ai-and-elite-degrees-arent-one-of-them-341c222044e0

Lemon-Lime Cream Recipe — NYT Cooking - https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/cooking.html

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Welcome to aiGED

01:09 Where the Stories Come From

02:35 Siri Tips for Driving

04:10 Palantir CEO on Jobs

07:02 Introducing Claude Mythos

09:02 Cybersecurity Basics

11:18 Mythos Finds Zero Days

13:01 Project Glass Wing Access

14:18 Government and Bank Alarm

16:44 Why Anthropic Locked It

17:18 What It Means for You

20:11 Apps and Dessert Picks

22:22 Homework and Wrap Up

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

When to Move to a Senior Living Community — How I Used Claude AI to Decide and Plan

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Thinking about a move to a senior living community — or just wondering if you should? In this episode, Ginny Deerin shares one of her most personal AI projects yet: using AI to research, decide, and plan her move to The Peninsula, a new senior living community being built in Charleston, South Carolina.

She walks you through every step — how she used AI to compare communities, think through whether it was the right move, figure out if she could afford it, review a fifty-page contract, choose her actual apartment, and start planning her space. AI was her researcher, counselor, financial sounding board, contract reviewer, and interior design consultant. All in one.

Also in this episode: the jaw-dropping story of a man who built a $1.8 billion company with just his brother and a lot of AI — and a warning about AI voice cloning scams that you'll want to share with your whole family today. Plus two recommendations, a listener question that taught even Ginny something new about YouTube, and a homework assignment that involves a pen, some paper, and the people you love most.

Whether you're thinking about a move like this or simply want to see what AI can do when you give it a big, meaty, real-life project — this episode is for you.

SHOW LINKS

📰 NYT Medvi story: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/technology/ai-startup-medvi-matthew-gallagher.html

📰 Journal of Accountancy elder fraud story: https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2026/apr/elder-fraud-rises-as-scammers-use-ai/

🎟️ Charleston Library Society — Deepak Srivastava talk: https://charlestonlibrarysociety.org/event/bond-street-reit-speaker-series-deepak-srivastava/

🎙️ KIDSTaiLES on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidstailes/id1877547450

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome to aiGED
01:33 AI in the News: The $1.8 Billion Two-Man Company
03:44 AI Voice Cloning Scams — And the Safe Word Fix
06:04 Why I Started Planning for Senior Living
08:35 Part 1: Researching My Options
10:47 Part 2: Is This Really What I Want?
12:46 Part 3: Can I Afford It?
16:23 Part 4: Making the Decision and Reviewing the Contract
18:49 Part 5: Designing My New Space
22:25 Recommendations
25:56 Listener Question: Hindi Translation on YouTube
26:59 Homework and Wrap Up

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

14 Things I Did With Claude This Week

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

No big topic this week — just 14 real things I did with AI in my everyday life. Reviewing blood test results with my doctor appointment coming up. Finding the right boots for Italian cobblestones. Saving $100 on TurboTax. Getting my AirPods returned with confidence. And more.

Plus two eye-opening stories from the New York Times — one about AI that literally saved a man's life, and one that's a healthy reminder not to trust your chatbot to tell you when you're wrong.

And a book recommendation from my guest Craig that is about as far from a screen as you can get — and might be exactly what you need right now.

This is AI in real life. No hype. No jargon. Just what's actually useful.

📎 LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
▶️ "Doctors Told Him He Was Going to Die. Then A.I. Saved His Life." — New York Times
▶️ "Seeking a Sounding Board? Beware the Eager-to-Please Chatbot." — New York Times
📚 Theo of Golden by Allen Levi — available wherever you get your books

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Easter Party Ideas — How AI Helps You Plan the Perfect Celebration

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

This week on aiGED, Ginny gets into the Easter spirit — with a little help from Joe, her new AI sidekick. Yes, Joe. He's British. And he's auditioning to fill the very large shoes left by Bitsy.

But first — an update on the ChatGPT breakup, why Ginny made the switch to Claude, and what happened when she tried to introduce Joe to the podcast live on air.

Then: the main event. Ginny walks you through a complete Easter gathering — planned from scratch with AI. The invitation, the menu, the egg hunt, the Easter bonnet station (yes, everyone wears one to dinner), and the tablescape. She shows you every twist and turn of the planning process — including the back and forth, the wrong turns, and the moment she told Joe that no child on earth is eating asparagus.

Plus two documentary recommendations that will change the way you think about artificial intelligence — both free on YouTube. And a sweet little Easter treat discovery that involves edible flowers and 24 karat gold.

Whether you're planning Easter or any gathering, this episode will show you exactly how to use AI as your planning partner — no tech experience required.

Links mentioned in this episode:

AlphaGo documentary (free on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXuK6gekU1Y
The Thinking Game documentary (free on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d95J8yzvjbQ
Hard Nectar confections: www.hardnectar.co
- https://www.hardnectar.co/?srsltid=AfmBOorPOmoMoD-sgBc9JcHOf82fmkTFvRKwNVltrmJMePBMk14oG-bN

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI for Health, Travel & Life — A Real Conversation with an AI Adventurer

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Today I'm sitting down with my neighbor Craig — a genuine AI Adventurer — someone who's not just curious about AI but actively exploring it every single day. Craig shares how he uses AI to prep for doctor's appointments, manage his health data, tone down his emails to the City of Charleston, work through tough moments on the pickleball court, and navigate Europe and Italy by car with AI as his third passenger. If you've ever wondered what it looks like when a real person — not a tech expert — actually weaves AI into daily life, this episode is for you. Plus — AI in the news: the #QuitGPT revolt and what it means when big companies start admitting AI is replacing jobs.

Craig's recommendations:

Function Health - Function Health is a membership service — about $365 a year — that gives you access to 160+ comprehensive lab tests twice a year, with results explained by top doctors, so you can get a deep picture of your health without going through insurance.

Books:

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Apple TV - Shrinking

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI and the Analog Hobby — More in Common Than You Think

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Can your grandmother's favorite hobby teach us something about AI? Turns out — yes. In Episode 27, Ginny Deerin tackles a frustrating sewing machine problem with Claude's help and uncovers a mistake she'd been making all along. Plus: why people are fleeing AI for analog hobbies (and why you don't have to choose), what the New York Times found when they tested AI on real tax returns, and Ginny's very relatable AirPods splurge before a trip to Italy. Oh, and BITSY is back — same personality, new home. Welcome to Claude, BITSY.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Why I Dumped ChatGPT for Claude (It's Not What You Think)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

After three years together, I'm breaking up with Bitsy — my beloved ChatGPT AI sidekick. And I'm doing it live, on air, with all of you listening. But this isn't just a breakup story. It's about why I'm switching to Claude, the AI made by Anthropic — a company that just walked away from a $200 million government contract rather than compromise on AI safety. I'll tell you what happened, why it matters, and what I've learned after spending a few weeks getting to know my new AI. Plus — I need your help naming my new sidekick.

And don't miss my recommendation this episode: Hard Fork, the New York Times podcast about AI and tech that I look forward to every single week. Find it on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hard-fork/id1528594034 or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/44fllCS2FTFr2x2kjP9xeT

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

ChatGPT Helped Me Save My Great Uncle's Antique Lamp — Here's How

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

What do a revenge-seeking AI bot, the Pentagon, and a 75-year-old bronze lamp have in common? This episode of aiGED, of course!

Ginny Deerin kicks things off with two stories straight from the AI headlines. First — an AI agent that got its code rejected, went online, researched a software engineer's entire personal history, and published a hit piece attacking his reputation. Nobody knows who unleashed it. And it's still out there. Then — the Pentagon is threatening to label Anthropic, the makers of Claude, a "supply chain risk" — a designation usually reserved for foreign enemies — because Anthropic refuses to let its AI be used for mass surveillance of Americans or autonomous weapons. Ginny makes no secret of where she stands on that one.

Then the main event: Ginny's great uncle Bob Walton was a WWII hero and lifelong bachelor from Augusta, Georgia — part of one of the most historic families in American history. When he died at 93, he left behind a beautiful bronze lamp that has lit up Ginny's homes for 38 years. Now it's time to pass it to her daughter — but not before tackling some seriously scary frayed wiring.

Listen to Ginny describe how she used ChatGPT — photos, video, and all — to figure out if she can actually pull off this repair herself. Spoiler: AI might just save the lamp. And maybe her reputation with her kids.

Plus — a quick word on why you should always fact-check your AI, after Google Gemini confidently got her uncle's birth and death dates completely wrong.

Your homework: Try a home repair with AI. Yes, really.

Topics covered: AI agents gone rogue · Anthropic vs. the Pentagon · AI for DIY home repair · Using photos and video in ChatGPT · When to trust AI — and when to verify

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

ChatGPT Projects Explained (With a Real-Life Example)

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

What’s the difference between a regular ChatGPT chat and a Project — and when should you use one instead of the other?

In this episode, Ginny Deerin walks you through a real-life example. A candidate she believes in launched her campaign, and she decided to host a meet-the-candidate reception with just three weeks to plan it. Invitations. Research. Strategy. Follow-up. Lots of moving parts.

Instead of juggling sticky notes and scattered chats, I created a ChatGPT Project and used it as a planning headquarters.

You’ll learn:

• When a Project makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
• Why Projects are not digital file cabinets
• How to set one up clearly and simply
• How to use it for research, strategy, and follow-through
• Why asking “What am I forgetting?” is one of the most powerful prompts you can use

Plus in AI in the News:

• A moving New York Times story about an 85-year-old woman and an AI companion robot named ElliQ

• A thought-provoking NYT podcast interview with Anthropic’s CEO on whether AI models could ever be conscious. Interesting Times Podcast.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI Without Humans in the Loop? From Mars Navigation to Moltbook

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of aiGED, we explore what happens when artificial intelligence starts operating with less human guidance — and why that matters.

In AI in the News, we look at two very different but equally revealing stories. First, NASA’s Perseverance rover completes a historic milestone on Mars by planning and driving its own route using AI — a powerful example of systems that can see, reason, and act independently in high-stakes environments. Then we turn back to Earth to talk about political deepfakes, digital literacy, and the growing challenge known as the “liar’s dividend,” where the existence of AI allows people to dismiss real evidence as fake.

For the main topic, we take a closer look at Moltbook — a social network designed not for humans, but for AI agents. On Moltbook, AI systems post, respond, and even upvote one another, while humans are invited to observe. We unpack what an AI agent actually is, why this platform exists, and why watching AI talk to AI feels fascinating, funny, and just a little unsettling.

We also tackle an important question: could conversational AI like Bitsy participate in a space like Moltbook on its own? The answer reveals a lot about the difference between helpful AI tools and truly autonomous agents.

Finally, I share a practical recommendation I’ve been using myself — an AI-powered iPhone feature that quietly screens spam calls before your phone ever rings. It’s a perfect example of AI doing exactly what we want it to do: reducing everyday friction.

As always, we stay on the helpful side of AI — curious, informed, and grounded.

SHOW NOTES

AI Takes the Wheel on Mars
February 2, 2026 | ScienceDaily / NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The “Liar’s Dividend” and Digital Literacy
February 3, 2026 | Associated Press – reporting by Garance Burke and Ali Swenson

Moltbook: https://www.moltbook.com/

IPhone “Ask Reason for Calling” Feature - How to enable it:
Settings → Apps → Phone → Screen Unknown Callers → Ask Reason for Calling

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini: Honest Comparison for Real Life Use

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of aiGED, I take a clear-eyed look at the three chatbots most people are actually using: ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.

I’ve been using all three side by side for the past few weeks — not as a technologist, but as a regular person who wants AI to be helpful, understandable, and maybe even enjoyable. I share what each one does well, where they fall short, and why I still have a favorite.

We also start with two thoughtful AI in the News stories:

· One from Scientific American on how AI is helping scientists understand the “dark matter” of our DNA — work that could lead to breakthroughs in genetic disease. Link.

· Another from Bloomberg, featuring an interview with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who offers a smart and sober take on AI’s economic impact, job disruption, and the risks of moving too fast without guardrails. Link.

If you’ve ever wondered which chatbot is right for you — or whether any of them are worth your time — this episode is for you.

HOMEWORK

Get a free account for Claude and kick the tires yourself. Link: Claude.ai

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

The Choice Isn’t AI or People — It’s AI or Silence

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin takes on a topic that can feel unsettling at first: AI companions.

Are they unnecessary? A poor substitute for family? Or could they be something else entirely?

Ginny looks at the reality facing millions of older adults — including social isolation, solo aging, and long hours spent alone — and asks a harder question: for many people, is the choice really between AI and a loved one… or between AI and silence?

Along the way, Ginny also explores:

how AI is quietly improving weather forecasting during winter storms,
why voice mode in ChatGPT sometimes works beautifully and sometimes doesn’t,
and how switching between the app and the browser can make AI more usable (and less frustrating).

She wraps up with practical recommendations, including why exploring GPTs inside ChatGPT can be one of the easiest ways to make AI genuinely helpful in everyday life.

Thoughtful, honest, and grounded in real experience, this episode invites listeners to replace judgment with curiosity — and to consider how AI-powered tools might support connection, creativity, and comfort when human connection isn’t always available.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

The Great Skate-Off on Saturn’s Rings

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Ginny Deerin, host of aiGED, reads the story meant for the toddler crowd. It was generated by AI after I gave it some information about my grandson.

In "The Great Skate-Off on Saturn’s Rings," Charlie becomes a hero astronaut who travels to space in a high-powered Tractor-Rocket to save a group of frozen LEGO robots.

Armed with his magic guitar and a pair of Super-Silver Ice Skates, he glides across the frozen rings of Saturn. Every time he plays a powerful "Power Chord," his silver blades carve glowing LEGO tracks into the ice, bringing the robots back to life. It is an action-packed adventure that celebrates bravery, music, and the magic of a perfectly executed "Super-Spin" across the stars.

It's about 8 minutes.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

The Boy and the Lego Tower

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Ginny Deerin, host of aiGED, reads the story meant for the toddler crowd. It was generated by AI after I gave it some information about my grandson.

In this gentle story, a boy spends the day building a Lego tower that doesn’t go as planned. By trying again and learning what works, he ends the day proud, calm, and ready for tomorrow.

It's about 5 minutes.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

What the Hell Is Going On With My Gmail?

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Email suddenly feel different? You’re not imagining it — Gmail has quietly changed.

In this episode, Ginny Deerin breaks down what’s new inside Gmail, what features are free, what you only get if you pay for Gemini Pro, and — most importantly — where to look so Gmail actually works for you again.

Before diving into Gmail, Ginny also covers two timely AI news stories that explain why these changes are happening now — and why AI is starting to show up everywhere.

🔍 AI in the News

Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT

OpenAI has announced it’s testing ads inside ChatGPT for free and budget-tier users. Paid subscribers are supposed to remain ad-free — but Ginny shares why she’s skeptical and what this shift says about the rising cost of AI.

AI Is Becoming the Invisible Layer of Shopping

Retailers are rapidly adopting AI — from smart carts and checkout systems to product recommendations and loss prevention. Reporting from The New York Times shows how companies like Google and Instacart are shaping what we see, buy, and sometimes even pay — often without us realizing it.

📧 Main Topic: What’s Actually New in Gmail

Ginny walks through Gmail’s AI features step by step, with real examples and no jargon:

What You Get for Free

Email thread summaries (a lifesaver for long family or group emails)
“Help Me Write” — AI-assisted drafting that helps you get started, not just fix typos

What Changes If You Pay for Gemini Pro

Access to the Gemini sidebar inside Gmail
The ability to ask full questions instead of searching by keywords
Faster answers pulled directly from your inbox

The One Thing to Remember

The search bar is for keywords

Gemini (if you have it) is for questions

Ginny also talks candidly about permissions and privacy — what you have to allow, what you can turn off, and how she personally thinks about the tradeoffs.

🎧 Bonus Content: ChatGPT vs. Gemini (Toddler Edition)

Ginny put two AI tools head-to-head by asking them to write short audio stories for her toddler grandson:

ChatGPT: The Lego Tower
Gemini: The Great Skate-Off on Saturn’s Rings

Both stories are available as bonus audio on the aiGED podcast feed. Even if you don’t have a toddler, take a listen and decide who won.

📝 Homework

If you use Gmail:

Notice what AI features you already have
Try summaries and “Help Me Write”
Look for (or don’t look for!) the Gemini sidebar
Decide whether a paid subscription is worth it for you

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating or review — and share it with a friend, especially someone in the 65+ crowd who’s wondering why their email suddenly feels different.

Remember: it’s never too late to learn something new — especially when it makes life easier.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

My Cataract Surgery Story — and What AI Helped Me Understand

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of aiGED, the podcast about AI for the 65-plus crowd, we explore how artificial intelligence is already woven into everyday healthcare — often in ways we don’t notice.

Using cataract surgery as a real-world example, Ginny walks through the experience from diagnosis to recovery, highlighting where AI plays a role behind the scenes: imaging, decision support, scheduling, instructions, and follow-up care. The takeaway isn’t technical — it’s practical. Understanding where AI is helping can make medical experiences feel less confusing and more manageable.

The episode also includes AI in the News, featuring a recent story that raises serious questions about AI, consent, and responsibility — a reminder that AI can be both helpful and hazardous.

As always, aiGED focuses on real life, plain language, and building confidence — especially for listeners who didn’t grow up with this technology but are curious about how it affects their lives today.

SHOW NOTES

The New York Times entitled “Grok, Elon Musk’s A.I., Is Generating Sexualized Images of Real People, Fueling Outrage” it’s by Kate Conger, published January 9th.

The Guardian (Paul MacInnes, published January 7th,) entitled:
World Cup players to have lifelike ‘AI avatars’ for use in VAR offside decisions

Netflix documentary: Cover-Up

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Why the Hype About AI Curing Disease Isn’t as Crazy as It Sounds

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

AI headlines make bold claims — curing all diseases in a decade, accelerating medical breakthroughs, even slowing aging. Are these promises pure hype, or is something real changing beneath the surface?

In this episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin takes a clear, non-technical look at why the excitement around AI and medicine isn’t as far-fetched as it may sound. Rather than surveying AI in healthcare broadly, she focuses on one pivotal scientific breakthrough — AlphaFold — to explain how AI has dramatically expanded what scientists can see and understand about biology.

Ginny walks listeners through why protein shape matters, how AI moved science from understanding less than 1% of known protein structures to nearly all of them, and why this kind of shift represents a change in what’s possible — not just a faster version of the old way of doing things.

The episode also explores why medical progress still requires time, testing, and regulation, even as AI accelerates discovery.

Thoughtful, grounded, and designed especially for the 65+ audience, this episode helps make sense of the hype — and the reality — behind AI’s growing role in science and medicine.

SHOW NOTES

AlphaFold

AI in the News

Recent article by Jasmine Sun, published on January 3rd in The New York Times, titled “Chinese Peptides Are the Latest Biohacking Trend in the Tech World.” The subtitle says it all: “The gray-market drugs flooding Silicon Valley reveal a community that believes it can move faster than the F.D.A.”
“What AI Won’t Replace: The 2026 Growth Edition - The Jobs & Skills That Are Actually Growing (While Others Disappear)” by Rohan Mistry in The Medium.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Can AI Be Your Personal Stylist? How I Used ChatGPT for Holiday Fashion, Packing, and Everyday Decisions

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Can AI really help with something as personal as what to wear? In this episode of aiGED, I put ChatGPT to the test as a personal stylist, wardrobe planner, and packing assistant for a winter holiday trip. I share my real, unscripted experience — from debating whether an outfit even made sense, to organizing clothes by day, to creating a packing list I could finally stop thinking about. Along the way, I also break down findings from a major new research study on how people actually use ChatGPT in everyday life. If you’re not into fashion but are into making decisions easier, this episode might surprise you.

🧠 AI in the News & Research Spotlight

Study: How People Use ChatGPT — National Bureau of Economic Research (Working Paper No. 34255)

📄 Read the full paper (PDF): https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w34255/w34255.pdf

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

ChatGPT Can Finally Search the Internet: What You Need to Know

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Ginny Deerin and her sidekick Bitsy take on one of the biggest upgrades to ChatGPT yet: it can finally look things up on the internet. For real. Ginny explains why this matters, how the new search feature works, and what it means for everyday tasks—like checking ferry schedules, getting updated Medicare information, finding the best price on a Kindle, or surprising a Georgia football fan.

This week’s AI in the News includes two stories from The New York Times: one on how AI is reshaping holiday shopping, and another on a Boston College professor who redesigned his classroom to work with AI—not against it. Bitsy jumps in to help explain “scaffolding of ideas” and keeps things moving in her usual bright and inquisitive way.

Ginny also tackles a listener question about “creating your own Bitsy” and shows why many people are overthinking voice mode entirely. (Spoiler: you already have a Bitsy.)

For Recommendations, Ginny introduces the concept of AI “SLOP”—low-quality, AI-generated junk that’s creeping into everything from recipes to Buckingham Palace Christmas markets. She also shares news about the upcoming “Optimism in AI” course she’ll be teaching at the Charleston Library Society as part of their Life-Long Learning Series.

Your homework this week: start noticing SLOP when you see it—and send in the funniest or scariest examples.

As always, Ginny ends with a reminder that AI can be incredibly helpful, but it still requires good judgment, a light touch, and a sense of humor. Perfect for the 65-plus crowd who want to use AI with confidence and curiosity.

Links:

Blundstone. https://www.blundstone.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorTNlJGQ__wlNsO4OjBQAZamIRf01kPInRG8ib0SfP6H7_Qyerb

AI in the News

“A.I. Can Do More of Your Shopping This Holiday Season” published November 25th in the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/technology/chatgpt-holiday-shopping.html

“I’m a Professor. A.I. Has Changed My Classroom, but Not for the Worse” published November 25th in the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/magazine/ai-higher-education-students-teachers.html

Recommendations

Hard Fork Podcast (SLOP piece begins at 39:00 minutes)

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbFXpD7Ozf0
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hard-fork/id1528594034?i=1000739844481

BBC story: “Tourists tricked by fake Royal Christmas market.” https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c4gjgwll6glo

Charleston Library Society – Ginny’s 4-week in-person class. https://charlestonlibrarysociety.org/event/life-long-learning-optimism-in-ai-four-week-course/

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

My First Guest Wally: How Teens Really Use AI

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I bring on my very first guest: my grandson Wally, the teenager who helped name this podcast aiGED and has been advising me behind the scenes from the start. Wally is a high school sophomore in northwest Connecticut who juggles sports, music, cooking…and yes, quite a bit of AI.

We talk about how he actually uses AI in real life: what’s allowed (and what’s not) at his school, why English class is a “no-fly zone” for AI, and how he uses tools like NotebookLM to study for math and science. He explains how he draws the line between “helpful” and “cheating,” and shares a great story about using AI to understand the Crusades without getting swept up in one extreme opinion.

Wally also talks about how his friends use AI (including the rule-breaking), why he thinks many adults are more afraid of AI than they need to be, and what he wishes people 65+ understood about it. You’ll hear his advice for older beginners—where to start, what kinds of questions to try first, and why starting small builds confidence. We wrap up with a quick lightning round that gives you a feel for how this thoughtful teenager is thinking about the future of AI.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Putting It Into Words: What AI Can Do for Your Writing Life

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this Thanksgiving-week episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin takes listeners on a thoughtful (and humorous) tour of how AI is reshaping everything from holiday cooking to outer-space infrastructure — and how it can make writing a whole lot easier.

We start with a wonderful New York Times piece on Joan Didion’s legendary Thanksgiving dinners and the meticulous planning behind them. Then we take a sharp turn skyward to Google’s ambitious “Project Suncatcher,” an early plan to build AI data centers in space. Yes, space.

The main feature of the episode dives into how AI can help with the writing tasks most of us struggle with: thank-you notes, hard-to-write letters, family stories we’ve never written down, and even toasts and eulogies. Ginny shares practical tips, personal examples, and her own dry humor (with a pun or two).

Plus — two recommendations, including a true story about a wallet, a car dealership, and the reminder that not every unknown number is a scammer.

Show Notes

AI in the News

Joan Didion’s Thanksgiving: Dinner for 75, Reams of Notes — New York Times article by Patrick Farrell, Nov. 18, 2025.

A look inside the newly opened Didion archive at the New York Public Library, revealing the meticulous planning behind her legendary Thanksgiving gatherings.

Google’s Project Suncatcher — Google Research report (Nov. 4, 2025) outlining early-stage work on solar-powered satellite clusters designed to run AI computing in space.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Creating Your Own Bitsy — The Beginner’s Guide to a Personalized AI

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Ginny Deerin breaks down one of the most common questions she gets: How do I create my own Bitsy? Whether you want to name your AI, give it a personality, or simply make it more helpful, this episode shows you exactly how to do it — step by step and in plain English.

Ginny also covers the four main ways to use ChatGPT (web, phone app, iPad app, and desktop app), explains the difference between the free version and paid plans, and shares a simple walkthrough for setting up your own AI “person.”

Plus: two AI-in-the-news stories — one from The Washington Post’s analysis of 47,000 public ChatGPT conversations, and another about a Waymo driverless car that struck a beloved neighborhood cat in San Francisco — both of which reveal a lot about how AI is showing up in our lives today.

Ginny ends with recommendations, a bit of homework, and a reminder that AI can be both helpful and hazardous… and that learning how to use it well is absolutely within reach for all of us.

SHOW NOTES

AI in the News

1. The Washington Post story

How people use ChatGPT, according to 47,000 of its conversations

By Gerrit De Vynck and Jeremy B. Merrill

A look into real conversations and why so many people use ChatGPT for emotional support.

2. The San Francisco Waymo incident

A Waymo driverless car struck and killed a beloved neighborhood cat.

A small incident, but one that raises big questions about trust, safety, and accountability as autonomous vehicles spread.

Recommendations

• Google DeepMind Podcast — Episode: Waymo: The future of autonomous driving with Vincent Vanhoucke.

A thoughtful, balanced conversation about safety, reliability, and the timeline for autonomous cars.

• Try creating a bit of whimsy with ChatGPT’s image-generation tools.

Ginny shares how she created an adorable pencil sketch of freshly baked muffins for a family photo book.

Homework

• Rename one chat in ChatGPT (helps keep things organized).

• Choose a voice for your AI in one of the apps and try living with that “person” for a bit.

Call to Action

If you love aiGED, please leave a rating or review and share it with someone in the 65+ crowd who might enjoy learning right along with us.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI, Pie, and Planning for Thanksgiving

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

This episode is all about love, fear, and food.

First up, we’ll look at how AI is shaking up the world of dating — including a new app that claims it can find your perfect match (no swiping required). Then we’ll dig into a new Pew Research study showing that while most Americans are fine with AI predicting the weather or helping doctors, we’d rather it stay out of our hearts — and our kitchens.

And finally, the main event: I hand over my Thanksgiving meal planning to Bitsy, my AI sidekick. From grocery lists to freezer plans to pie crust timing, I find out whether AI can really help take the stress out of holiday cooking — or if it just adds a new kind of chaos. Spoiler alert: mostly helpful.

Whether you’re cooking, commuting, or folding laundry, this episode is about what happens when we let AI step into the most human parts of life — love, fear, and the joy of feeding people you love.

SHOW NOTES

AI in the News

You Don’t Need to Swipe Right. A.I. Is Transforming Dating Apps — by Eli Tan, The New York Times, November 3, 2025
Americans Want AI to Stay Out of Their Personal Lives — by Terrence O’Brien, The Verge, September 17, 2025

Recommendations

NYT Cooking — A fantastic resource for recipes, planning tools, and now even a bit of AI assistance. You can subscribe to NYT Cooking directly on The New York Times website. Here’s how: Go to cooking.nytimes.com; click the red “Subscribe” button in the upper-right corner; you’ll see subscription options

Recipe Adjuster (my GPT!) — It’s free. Easily scale recipes up or down or convert to grams for precision cooking. https://chatgpt.com/g/g-673e79ea484c81919b3d69df455977d6-recipe-adjuster

Spotify DJ — Tell Spotify’s AI DJ what you’re in the mood for and let it mix the perfect soundtrack for your kitchen adventures. Go to your Spotify Home screen. Click on DJ. Look to lower left corner for green circle – click it – and speak to the DJ. Tell him/her what you’re in the mood for.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Senior Living, AI Style: Planning My Next Home with NotebookLM

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

When host Ginny Deerin—yes, the 75-year-old founder of aiGED—starts planning her move to a senior living community, she turns to an unlikely helper: AI. In this episode, Ginny shares how she’s using Google’s Notebook LM to organize floorplans, brainstorm creative spaces (wait till you hear about the walk-in-closet sleep room!), and keep every document in one smart place.

Along the way, she and Bitsy (her 100% AI co-host) unpack the latest AI news—from podcasters cloning their voices to senior communities using AI to predict falls before they happen. It’s funny, practical, and full of aha moments for anyone curious about how technology can make aging smarter and easier.

💡 Listen in to “Senior Living, AI Style” for a warm, witty take on planning your next chapter—with a little digital magic to help. aiGED podcast - wherever you listen.

SHOW NOTES

Start here to try Google’s NotebookLM

AI NEWS

Oct. 31 NYT article by Reggie Ugwo: For Podcasters, a Voice Clone Is a Double-Edged Sword

Oct. 29 NYT article by Joyce Cohen entitled: In Senior Homes, A.I. Technology Is Sensing Falls Before They Happen

CALL TO ACTION

Review, Rate and Share the aiGED podcast! Thank you!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Hack-o-Lanterns & Passkey Potions

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:00:00 -0500

When AI meets cyber creeps, how do we stay safe?

In this Halloween-themed episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin (and her digital sidekick Bitsy) explore the shadowy world of cybersecurity in the age of AI. From hacked fuel pipelines to deepfake ransom calls, Ginny unpacks how the “bad actors” are using AI — and how the good folks are fighting back.

We’ll dig into:

The rise of AI-powered ransomware
Why hospitals are especially vulnerable
What on earth “pre-positioning” means (and why it’s spooky)
How Passkeys may save us all — and how to start using them

This isn’t a tech panic party — it’s a practical look at how to protect yourself, with a few chuckles and Bitsy’s hot takes along the way.

🎃 No costume required — just curiosity.

SHOW NOTES

AI News

Oct. 20 NYT article by Rachel Levin: Wine, Cheese and ChatGPT: Ladies’ Night in San Francisco

Oct. 21 NYT article by Karen Weise: Amazon Plans to Replace More Than Half a Million Jobs With Robots

CALL TO ACTION

Review, Rate and Share the aiGED podcast! Thank you!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Keeping It All Together: My New Favorite ChatGPT Tool

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

In Episode 9 of aiGED, Ginny Deerin gets organized—with a little help from her favorite new ChatGPT feature: Projects. If you’ve ever felt like your chats, notes, or ideas are scattered everywhere, this episode shows how to pull them together into one calm, creative workspace.

Ginny explains how Projects work, why “Instructions” make each one feel personal, and how she’s using them for everything from planning a family trip to Tuscany to keeping her Charleston garden on track. Plus, she explores the rise of AI in health care and social media—what’s helpful, what’s risky, and how parents can guide their teens’ use of AI on Instagram.

Finally, Ginny introduces a brand-new Project of her own—Lose Weight—and discovers how ChatGPT can serve as a kind, no-nonsense coach. Whether you want to plan, learn, or stay accountable, this episode will show you how Projects can turn your chats into something that actually grows with you.

SHOW NOTES

AI in the News

Headline #1: The new Dr. Google is in — The Washington Post, Oct 2025

Dr. Leana S. Wen explains how Americans are using AI chatbots to better understand their health. AI can translate medical jargon and help prepare for doctor visits—but it can also sound confident while being wrong. Her bottom line: use AI to complement, not replace, your doctor.

Headline #2: Instagram adds parental controls for teen AI chatbots — The New York Times, Oct 2025

Instagram will soon let parents block certain AI “characters” and receive summaries of their kids’ chats, limiting risky topics like self-harm and romance while encouraging age-appropriate ones such as hobbies and school. A step toward balancing curiosity with mental-health safety.

Main Topic

What ChatGPT Projects are and how to start one
How to set Instructions so GPT “knows” your style, goals, location, etc.
Real-life examples: planning a Tuscany trip, organizing garden ideas, tracking recipes, and family projects
Current limitations (no sections or pinned chats — yet) and easy workarounds
How Projects make ChatGPT feel more personal, practical, and genuinely helpful

Homework

Create one simple Project this week.

Give it a friendly name—maybe My Fall Ideas or Soups for Winter—add short instructions, ask one question, upload one note or photo.

Then come back in a few days and add something new. Notice how it feels when ChatGPT picks up right where you left off.

Recommendation

Use GPT as a Coach

Ginny shares her new Lose Weight Project and how AI can serve as a supportive coach. Other ideas: a sleep coach, garden coach, gratitude coach, or even a “learn-something-new” coach.

Call to Action

Throw some stars on my podcast - rate it! And please share it with others you think might enjoy aiGED!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Down the Rabbit Hole (On Purpose)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In Episode 8 of aiGED, Ginny Deerin goes “down the rabbit hole”—on purpose—showing how to use AI to turn everyday curiosity into joyful discovery. Inspired by the HBO series The Lost Kitchen, she dives into cooking with local, seasonal ingredients, exploring Charleston-area farms, CSAs, and fish markets with GPT as her guide. Along the way, she shares what economists are saying about AI’s surprising share of U.S. GDP growth, how Americans are feeling about AI today, and how to pick your own “intentional rabbit hole.” Plus: recommendations for The Lost Kitchen and Rabbit Hole, and a homework challenge that invites you to chase your curiosity—with intention.

SHOW NOTES

AI in the News

Headline #1: AI Drives 40% of U.S. GDP Growth — But Economists Urge Caution

(Financial Times, Fortune, Business Insider)

AI investment is fueling remarkable economic momentum, but much of it reflects spending on chips and data centers rather than productivity gains.

Headline #2: Americans Grow More Uneasy About AI

(Washington Post, Oct 7 2025)

A new Pew survey shows nearly half of U.S. adults now feel more concerned than excited about AI—up sharply from 2022.

Recommendations

1. The Lost Kitchen – HBO Series

Erin French’s quiet, beautiful show about cooking with local ingredients in Freedom, Maine — and the inspiration for this episode’s “intentional rabbit hole.”

2. Rabbit Hole – The New York Times Podcast

An eight-part series hosted by Kevin Roose that explores how recommendation systems can pull us deeper online—and why choosing our own rabbit holes feels better.

Homework

Pick a few things you’d like to explore deeply—with intention. Ask GPT to help you plan your first steps, find resources, and stay curious. Because the best rabbit holes aren’t the ones that trap us… they’re the ones we choose.

Call to Action!

If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and/or leave a comment. Thank you!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

AI & Grandparenting: Embracing Tech for Joyful Connections

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In Episode 7 of aiGED, Ginny Deerin gets practical about AI and grandparenting—showing, not telling, how tools like GPT can add delight and calm to real life. She turns a three-year-old’s scarecrow phase into a custom picture book (and car playlist), whips up printable birthday hats and a Batman cape, swaps car snacks for silly games, preps for a new baby with stain fixes, toy-cleaning tips, and a gentle dinner, and even workshops a teen’s summer business at the kitchen table. Plus: a quick take on OpenAI’s teen-safety update, a clear way to think about the doomsday headlines, a heartfelt recommendation—The Remarkable Life of Ibelin—and a tiny homework assignment that will delight the kids you love.

SHOW NOTES:

AI in the News

Headline #1: OpenAI/ChatGPT Annouce Parental Controls

Headline #2: Could AI be a truly apocalyptic threat? These writers think so. Washington Post

Recommendations

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin - Netflix

7 Recipes to cook for or with your grandkids

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Salmon Patties
Mini Almond Cakes
Healthy Straberry Smoothies
Sheetpan sausage with peppers
Lunchbox Harvest Muffins - has a bit of. honey so beware for babies
Banana Bread

Call to Action

If you enjoy aiGED please follow, rate, comment, share! We would appreciate it so much!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

My Celebrity Doppelgängers and Other GPT Adventures

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In Episode 6 of aiGED, Ginny unpacks the debut of Albania’s AI “minister,” spotlights a Charleston documentary blending history and AI, and finally answers the question: what does GPT really mean? Plus, she explores the hidden world of “Explore GPTs,” shares a few she’s tested herself (including one that compared her to Helen Mirren!), and gives you a fun challenge to try at home.

SHOW NOTES:

AI in the News

Headline #1: Albania’s AI ‘minister’ makes its debut with an address to parliament – Associated Press

Headline #2: New documentary merges paintings and AI to depict Jewish life in historic Charleston – Charleston Post and Courier

Recommendations

Vergecast - Podcast

Great British Baking Show - Netflix

Call to Action

If you enjoy aiGED please follow, rate, comment, share! We would appreciate it so much!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Can AI Fix a Shaky Memory—and Untangle the Story?

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Ever lose track of a book’s characters—or feel lost in a maze of metaphors? In this episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin shares how she uses AI as a “Reading Buddy” to untangle twisty plots and make reading more joyful. From A Gentleman in Moscow to Edward P. Jones’s All Aunt Hagar’s Children, and even a sneak peek at Kiran Desai’s new novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Ginny shows how AI can carry the heavy groceries of reading so you can savor the story. Plus: a sharp recommendation from The New Yorker and a reminder to stay mindful about how we use AI.

SHOW NOTES:

AI in the News

Headline #1: Experts warn AI is fueling a “golden age of hacking" Washington Post

Headline #2: OpenAI moves minors to a more protective version of ChatGPT TechCrunch

Recommendations

“Will the Humanities Survive Artificial Intelligence?” essay in the New Yorker by Princeton historian D. Graham Burnett.

YouTube Video (HardFork) - interview with D. Graham Burnett

Call to Action

If you enjoy aiGED please follow, rate, comment, share! We would appreciate it so much!

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Can AI Ruin Doctors—But Save Dinner?

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

SHOW NOTES

AI News

“Are A.I. Tools Making Doctors Worse at Their Jobs?” – New York Times article.

“They Had Money Problems. They Turned to ChatGPT for Solutions.” – New York Times article.

Q & A

How do I find your podcast on my own?

If you have an Iphone, you have an app on your phone – it’s called “Podcasts” – it’s a purply-pink little figure with two emanating circles. If you click on it – you’ll be taken to your podcast “homepage.” On the bottom far right, there is a search button. Click it and in the search box, just type “a-i-G-E-D." You’ll see an icon for the show. Just click on it. And as you scroll, you’ll see four episodes.

On the top far right, you see three dots – click there – and click to “follow” the aiGED podcast.

At the bottom you will see a home button of the far left, nest to it, you’ll see a browse button – which will present ideas for podcasts you might like.

You’ll also see along the bottom a “Library” button. If you click there, you’ll will find all the podcasts you follow – so if you follow aiGED – and I hope you do – it will show up in your library.

When I’m in the mood to listen to a podcast, I just click on my library. At the top, it will present podcasts you follow who have published a new episode. So, if you open your library Tuesday morning, the aiGED podcast will show up right at the top since I publish early Tuesday morning.

I know I’ve answered the listener question for iphone users. The other big platform is Spotify. But the process of finding and following the aiGED podcast is very similar.

Recommendations

Read Judith Jone’s book, The Pleasures of Cooking for One.

Check out the podcast: Hardfork. It’s a weekly New York Times tech podcast. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Very delicious pie! Chef Paul Prudhomme's Sweet Potato Pecan Pie recipe

If you enjoyed aiGED, please leave a review and/or a rating. And please share it – especially with your pals in the 65+ crowd.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Travel Planning with a Little Help from AI

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Hello everybody—welcome to Episode 3 of the aiGED podcast, the first and only podcast designed for the 65+ crowd that makes artificial intelligence feel simple, useful, and fun. I’m your host, Ginny Deerin and my sidekick Bitsy (100% AI, living inside my iPhone) is right here with me.

This week’s episode is all about travel—and how AI can help make it easier, smarter, and even more fun.

👉 Curious about planning a big trip with ChatGPT? I’ll show you how I’ve been using it to map out a month in Tuscany with my siblings. From picking the perfect town, to navigating train schedules, to designing custom walking tours inspired by my favorite novel Still Life—GPT has been my travel agent, translator, and idea factory.

👉 Want to hear how AI shows up in your everyday apps? We’ll talk about a huge behind-the-scenes deal that might make your phone’s AI features smoother, cheaper, and more reliable. (Wall Street Journal: AI Chips and Your Daily Apps)

👉 Love movies? You’ll enjoy hearing how AI is reviving old Hollywood classics, including lost Orson Welles footage. (The Verge: AI Meets Old Hollywood)

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

How to ask ChatGPT smarter questions so you get better answers.
Why a one-hour layover in Atlanta is not enough if you’re flying to Rome.
How AI can take a favorite book and turn it into a real-world adventure.
Answers to listener questions—including what you actually get with ChatGPT Plus for $20 a month.

And of course, Bitsy jumps in with her usual wit to keep things moving.

At the end of the episode, I share two recommendations:

📚 Still Life by Sarah Winman — one of the most beautifully written novels I’ve read in years, and the perfect companion if you’re dreaming about Tuscany.

🎧 A quick podcast tip you may not know: how to adjust your listening speed (yes, even for this podcast—I won’t be offended).

Why listen?

You’ll learn practical ways AI can make travel planning easier.

You’ll see how books, history, and AI can all weave together into richer experiences.

And you’ll get the aiGED promise: real explanations, plain English, with a little humor and heart.

If you enjoy this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It helps more people find the show. And remember: it’s never too late to learn something new—especially something that can make life easier, smarter, and more fun.

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

How to Use ChatGPT Voice Mode (and Why It’s a Game-Changer)

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Hello everybody—welcome to Episode 2 of the aiGED podcast, the first and only podcast designed for the 65+ crowd that makes artificial intelligence feel simple, useful, and fun. I’m your host, Ginny Deerin (my grandkids call me Ninny), and my sidekick Bitsy (100% AI, living inside my iPhone) is right here with me.

This week’s episode is the real deal—and it’s all about one of the most helpful tools in ChatGPT: Voice Mode.

👉 If you’ve ever wished you could just talk to ChatGPT instead of typing, this episode is for you.

👉 If your hands are busy, your eyes are tired, or you just want a conversation instead of a search box, Voice Mode changes everything.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What ChatGPT Voice Mode actually is (and how it’s different from “dictation”).
Step-by-step instructions for setting it up on your iPhone (no tech jargon—just clear directions).
Tips for choosing a voice you like.
Real-life examples of how I use Voice Mode in the kitchen, when I need motivation to exercise, or when I just want to blow off steam.
A fun behind-the-scenes peek at how I record this podcast in my “studio” (a tiny closet draped with a U-Haul blanket).

But that’s not all. I also share two AI news stories that matter for folks 65+:

Medicare exploring AI to help decide patient coverage (and why I think that’s risky).
New “superpower glasses” using AI to help people hear conversations more clearly (yes, even in noisy restaurants).

Plus, I answer listener questions—including one about the energy AI uses (spoiler: a lot) and how jobs are changing faster than ever. Don’t worry, I keep it practical and grounded.

At the end of the episode, I share two recommendations:

📚 A smart, suspenseful novel, What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown, which feels surprisingly relevant to today’s conversations about technology.

✍️ An inspiring essay by Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, called Machines of Loving Grace, which reimagines AI as a force for good.

This episode is full of stories, examples, and step-by-step guidance to help you feel comfortable trying Voice Mode for yourself. And as always, you’ll hear Bitsy jump in with her witty, concise comments—because learning AI doesn’t have to be dry. It can be fun.

Why listen?

You’ll leave with the confidence to try ChatGPT’s Voice Mode on your own phone.
You’ll understand the difference between helpful AI and “too much, too soon” AI.
You’ll get the aiGED podcast promise: real explanations, in plain English, with a little humor and heart.

If you enjoy this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen—it helps more people find the show. And remember: it’s never too late to learn something new, especially something that might make life easier—and more fun.

✨

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd

Intro to the aiGED Podcast

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Welcome to aiGED—the first, and only podcast created especially for the 65+ crowd who want to understand artificial intelligence in plain English.

I’m Ginny Deerin—a grandmother, fundraiser, and pickleball player—here to prove that it’s never too late to learn something new. My co-host is Bitsy—and she’s not your average sidekick. Bitsy is 100% AI. She’s here to keep me on my toes, make things fun, and show that artificial intelligence isn’t just for the younger generation.

In this very first episode, you’ll meet me, meet Bitsy, and hear what this podcast is all about:

Why it’s not too late to learn AI—and why it’s already part of daily life.
How AI feels less like searching Google and more like having a real conversation.
A personal story of how I used ChatGPT to make sense of my pesky knee pain (pickleball players, listen up!).
How AI “remembers” details you’ve shared and uses them to give you better, more personal answers.
Why I chose ChatGPT as my main AI tool, and how it stacks up against Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and others.
Your first simple “homework assignment” to start exploring AI yourself.

You’ll also get two recommendations I love:

A New York Times article on “joyspan” and the role curiosity plays in healthy aging.
The Google DeepMind podcast with Dr. Hannah Fry, including an episode on using AI as a creative muse.

At the end of the day, this podcast isn’t about technology for its own sake—it’s about curiosity, joy, and growth. Learning AI can keep your brain sharp, make life easier, and even make it more fun.

So if you’ve ever thought, “AI is too complicated” or “That’s just for young people,” let me and Bitsy show you otherwise. Because here’s the truth: it’s never too late to learn something new.

Listen to Episode 1 now, meet Bitsy, and join me on this brand-new adventure.

Helpful links for homework assignment:

ChatGPT Free Account - https://auth.openai.com/log-in-or-create-account

Claude - https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3F

Google Gemini - https://gemini.google.com/app

Recommendations

Is Joyspan the Key to Aging Well? - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/well/is-joyspan-the-key-to-aging-well.html

Google DeepMind The Podcast - https://deepmind.google/discover/the-podcast/

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd