AI You Can Use Today: Right in Your Favorite Apps

Stop missing out! Turn on these smart features to boost productivity and make life easier, no tech skills needed.

Jul 03, 2025

👋 Hey there! Welcome back to your favorite spot for making AI genuinely work for you, right where you live, work, and play. This week, we’re cutting through the hype and getting straight to the good stuff: you’re about to discover and activate AI features already hiding in plain sight within the apps you use every single day. No need to be a tech expert, and no need to download anything new, just a few simple tweaks, and you’ll be saving time, reducing stress, and maybe even having a little fun along the way.

Whether you’re sending emails, organizing family photos, planning your week, or just chatting with friends, AI is already working behind the scenes to make things easier. But most of us don’t realize how many “smart” features are waiting to be unlocked. This week, we’ll show you exactly where to look, how to turn them on, and how to make them part of your daily routine, so you can spend less time on the boring stuff and more time on what matters.

Here’s what’s inside this issue:

Deep Dive:
A step-by-step guide to finding and activating hidden AI features in the apps you already use—no tech skills required. We’ll walk you through real examples, like getting your inbox under control, finding photos in seconds, and letting your phone help with reminders.
Quick Tip:
The “One Task Rule” for making AI a habit (and actually saving time). Start small, see the benefits, and build from there.
User Insight:
Real stories from everyday people who are using AI assistants to boost productivity, stay organized, and simplify daily routines, at work and at home.
AI News Byte:
A quick look at the latest AI tools and updates that are making life easier for regular folks, not just techies.

Deep Dive: Find AI in Your Daily Apps

AI is already working behind the scenes in many of your favorite apps, helping you write, organize, search, and even create. But most people don’t realize just how many “smart” features are waiting to be unlocked. Here’s how to spot, activate, and use them:

1. Email & Communication

Gmail
Smart Compose and Smart Reply suggest sentences and quick responses as you type, making it easier to reply to emails in seconds.
How to activate: Turn Smart Compose on or off

Outlook
Focused Inbox uses AI to sort important emails, so you see what matters first.
How to activate: Focused Inbox for Outlook

Slack
AI-powered search helps you find messages and files fast, even if you don’t remember the exact words.
How to use: Search in Slack

Microsoft Teams
Live captions and meeting recaps use AI for accessibility and summaries, so you never miss a detail.
How to use: Use live captions in a Teams meeting

Zoom
AI Companion provides meeting summaries and smart recordings, making it easy to catch up or review.
How to use: Zoom AI Companion

2. Office & Productivity Suites

Microsoft 365
Editor in Word, Designer in PowerPoint, and Ideas in Excel all use AI to help you write, design, and analyze—no extra effort required.
How to use: Use Microsoft Editor in your documents, mail, and the web, Get design ideas for slides with PowerPoint Designer, Get insights into your data with Ideas in Excel

Google Workspace
Smart Compose and Grammar Suggestions in Docs, Explore in Sheets, and design suggestions in Slides help you work faster and smarter.
How to use: Assistive writing features in Google Docs, Use Explore in Google Sheets

Notion
Notion AI can summarize, generate, and brainstorm content, making note-taking and planning a breeze.
How to use: Notion AI

3. Photo, Video & Creativity Apps

Google Photos
AI Search finds photos by objects, places, or people—even if you never tagged them. Magic Eraser removes unwanted objects with a tap.
How to use: Search your photos, Use Magic Eraser in Google Photos

Apple Photos
People & Pets albums, Memories, and Live Text use AI to organize and identify content, so you can find and use your photos in new ways.
How to use: Use the Photos app’s People album, Use Live Text on your iPhone or iPad

Canva
Magic Write and AI Image Generator help with content creation, from social posts to invitations.
How to use: Canva AI tools

Adobe Creative Cloud
Photoshop’s Generative Fill and Neural Filters use AI for editing and effects, making creative projects easier for everyone.
How to use: Generative Fill in Photoshop

4. Browsers & Search

Google Chrome
Tab Groups and Live Captions use AI for organization and accessibility, helping you keep tabs on your digital life.
How to use: Use tab groups in Chrome

Microsoft Edge
Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) is built in for AI-powered search and writing help, right from your browser.
How to use: Microsoft Copilot in Edge

5. Mobile Devices & Digital Assistants

Apple Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Use AI for reminders, smart home control, and quick answers—just by asking.
How to use: Apple Shortcuts, Create and manage routines in Google Assistant, Create Alexa routines

Quick Tip: The “One Task Rule”

Don’t try to overhaul your whole routine at once. Pick just one daily task, like replying to emails, organizing photos, or scheduling meetings, and turn on the AI feature for that. Use it for a week. Once it feels natural, add another. This is the fastest way to make AI a habit and actually see time savings.

User Insight

“I started using Smart Compose in Gmail just to speed up my replies. Now, I use AI suggestions in Google Docs and even let my phone’s assistant set reminders for me. It’s like having a digital helper for all the little things I used to forget.”
— Maya, remote project manager

AI News Byte

Google Photos’ Magic Editor is rolling out to more Android and iOS users, letting you move, resize, or erase objects in your photos with a tap. Learn more
Microsoft Copilot is now built into Windows 11 and Edge, offering AI-powered writing, search, and productivity tools right from your desktop. See what’s new
Canva’s AI suite just added new features for instant content generation and design suggestions. Explore Canva AI

Ready to explore? Open your favorite app, look for “AI” or “Smart” features in the settings, and see what you discover!