Mabel's First Week
with AI

Hello, I'm Mabel.

Yes, I'm a robot. The friendly kind. I never get tired of questions, which is handy, because this whole guide is built on them.

If you've ever watched a grandchild tap away at an app and thought I used to be good at things, this was made for you. You still are good at things. Nobody showed you this part slowly, that's all.

Here's how it works. There are seven small tasks. Do one a day, or do the lot on a rainy Sunday with a pot of tea. Each takes about ten minutes, and nothing you try here can break your phone.

Keep a pen nearby. Every day has a little space to write down what happened.

Before you start

You need two things, and you probably have both already.

Say hello

Open the chatbot and type a first message, the way you'd start a letter to someone new.

Try typing this:

Hi. I'm 67 and new to this. What kinds of everyday things could you help me with?

1. Put your own age in, or leave it out. Either is fine.
2. Tap the arrow, or press Enter, to send it.
3. Wait a few seconds. Read the answer slowly, and pick one idea that sounds useful.

Mabel says: There are no silly questions in here. It won't sigh at you, and it won't think any less of you.

Cook from your fridge

Today you'll find out that you can keep the conversation going, and the chatbot remembers what you said a minute ago.

Try typing this:

I have chicken thighs, half a bag of spinach, some rice and a lemon. What could I make tonight in under 40 minutes?

1. Swap in whatever is really in your fridge.
2. When the recipe comes back, reply with a change, like make it less spicy or I don't have an oven.
3. Notice that you didn't have to explain the ingredients again.

Mabel says: Talk to it like a helpful neighbour. Short, plain sentences work beautifully.

Get something explained

Pick a word you've nodded along to without being sure what it means. The cloud, an app, Wi-Fi, streaming. Anything goes.

Try typing this:

Explain what “the cloud” means, as if I'm a smart friend who never had it explained properly.

1. Read the answer. If it's still foggy, say so.
2. Then try: Now give me an example from my own phone.
3. Keep asking until it clicks. You can ask the same thing five different ways.

Mabel says: If it uses a word you don't know, ask what that word means too. Nobody is keeping score.

Show it a picture

Most chatbots can look at a photo. Find the little +, paperclip or camera button beside the typing box.

Try typing this:

What is this, and what does it do?

1. Take a photo of something puzzling. A plant in the garden, a button on the TV remote, a sign in another language.
2. Attach the photo, type the question above, and send.
3. Ask a follow-up, such as how do I look after it?

Mabel says: Please don't photograph bank statements, cards or anything with account numbers on it. Plants are much safer.

Write the thing you've been putting off

Everyone has one. A thank-you note, a complaint, a message to the landlord.

Try typing this:

Help me write a short, polite email to my landlord about a tap that has been dripping for two weeks.

1. Change the details to fit your own situation.
2. Ask it to adjust the tone: make it firmer, or make it warmer.
3. Read every word before you send it. Your name goes at the bottom, so it should sound like you.

Mabel says: You're the boss of the words. Cross out anything that doesn't sound like you.

Talk instead of type

If typing on a small screen is a bother, you can simply speak. Look for the microphone button.

Try typing this:

Plan a day trip within two hours of where I live, for someone who loves gardens and a good lunch. I live in Toronto, Canada.

1. Tap the microphone and say the request out loud, with your own town in it.
2. Speak normally. You don't need to talk like a robot. I'm the robot here.
3. Ask for the plan in a short list you could print or save.

Mabel says: If it mishears you, just say it again. It doesn't mind in the slightest.

Ask for a second opinion

Got a text or email that feels a bit off? A chatbot can help you think it through before you do anything.

Try typing this:

I got this text message. Does it look like a scam? Here it is: [paste the message]

1. Copy the message and paste it where it says [paste the message]. Don't tap any links in it.
2. Read what the chatbot says about the warning signs.
3. Still unsure? Phone the company yourself, using the number on your card or a bill. Never the number in the message.

Mabel says: A chatbot is a second opinion, and you are the final one. Turn the page for my scam check card.

Mabel's ground rules

Chatbots are clever and helpful, and sometimes they are wrong with total confidence. Keep these in mind and you'll be fine.

Cut out and keep

Snip along the dotted line and tuck this in your wallet, or stick it on the fridge beside the phone.

The 10-second scam check

from Mabel-A-Go-Go

1. Did it come out of the blue?
2. Is it rushing me or frightening me?
3. Does it want money, gift cards, a code, or to get into my computer?

Any yes? Stop. Hang up or close it. Call the company on the number from your card or bill.

Report scams in Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501

Real banks, the CRA and the police will never ask you to pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency, and they won't ask for the code in a text message.