On Tuesday morning, November 3, 2026, a reader named Linda asked me whether AI could help her plan a road trip without turning the experience into a military operation. The answer is yes - but only if you give it real information. This week, we will look at two useful, ordinary applications: planning a road trip and writing a complaint letter that has a better chance of getting a response.

Neither requires technical skill. Both require something more important: knowing what you want, what constraints matter, and what a satisfactory result would look like. AI is most useful when you treat it as a capable assistant - not an oracle.

Try at least one before Sunday. That is the whole assignment.

Use Case 1 of 2

Use Case 1: Planning a road trip using AI

At 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Martin and Elaine sat at their kitchen table in Columbus, Ohio, trying to plan a drive to Asheville, North Carolina, for their granddaughter’s college graduation. They knew they wanted to arrive Friday afternoon, avoid driving after dark, and stop somewhere interesting along the way. Elaine also had a knee problem, which meant that “we’ll just stop when we’re tired” was not a sensible plan. Martin had already opened six browser tabs: hotels, weather, restaurants, road construction, and two different map sites. He was beginning to suspect that planning the trip was becoming harder than taking it.

That is exactly where AI can help. A good planning prompt can turn a jumble of preferences into a first draft: a sensible route, reasonable driving days, suggested breaks, questions that still need answering, and a list of details to verify. Road-trip advice should account for fatigue, medication schedules, accessibility, offline maps, vehicle preparation, and emergency supplies - not just the fastest route.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

> I am planning a road trip and want a realistic, comfortable itinerary rather than the fastest possible route. > > Trip details: > - Starting location: Columbus, Ohio > - Destination: Asheville, North Carolina > - Departure date and preferred departure time: Friday, November 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. > - Arrival deadline: Saturday, November 14, by 4:00 p.m. > - Travelers: Two adults, ages 68 and 70 > - Driving: One person will do most of the driving > - Preferences: Avoid driving after dark; limit driving to about 5 hours per day; take a break at least every 90 minutes; include one interesting, low-effort stop each day > - Accessibility needs: One traveler has knee pain and needs easy parking, short walking distances, and hotels with elevators > - Budget: Moderate; prioritize clean, quiet hotels with free parking > - Interests: Local history, scenic views, diners, and small-town main streets > - Avoid: Large cities during rush hour, complicated downtown driving, and roads that are likely to be difficult in bad weather > > Please create: > 1. A day-by-day itinerary with estimated driving time and realistic rest stops. > 2. Two possible overnight towns, with advantages and disadvantages for each. > 3. Three hotel-selection criteria and the kinds of details I should confirm before booking. > 4. Suggested places to stop for food, fuel, and stretching. > 5. A bad-weather alternative plan. > 6. A packing and vehicle-preparation checklist. > 7. A short list of facts I must verify independently, including current road conditions, construction, opening hours, hotel accessibility, and weather. > > Be practical and conservative. Do not pretend that uncertain information is confirmed. If you need more information, ask no more than five questions first.

Why this prompt works: It gives the AI the information a human travel planner would need: dates, ages, driving limits, accessibility concerns, budget, interests, and dislikes. It also asks for alternatives instead of one supposedly perfect answer. Most importantly, it separates planning from verification. The AI can suggest a route and structure, but current weather, road closures, hotel features, and opening times must be checked before departure. Asking it to identify uncertainty reduces confident-sounding guesswork.

Use Case 2 of 2

Use Case 2: Writing a complaint letter that actually gets results

At 10:40 a.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Patricia opened the email from her internet provider for the third time. She had been charged a $185 installation fee that the sales representative had promised would be waived. Patricia had already called twice. The first representative said the charge was correct. The second said a supervisor would review it. Nobody had followed up. Patricia was angry, but she knew that an angry letter full of accusations might give the company an excuse to dismiss her as difficult.

A complaint letter works best when it is short, factual, and specific about the remedy requested. The Federal Trade Commission recommends including the relevant details, identifying the seller, describing the problem clearly, and stating what resolution you want; for some disputes, sending the letter by certified mail with a return receipt may also create useful documentation.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

> Help me write a firm, professional complaint letter to a company. The goal is to obtain a specific correction, not merely to express anger. > > Here are the facts: > - Company name: BrightWave Internet > - Department or recipient, if known: Customer Billing Department > - My name: Patricia Morgan > - My address: [insert your mailing address] > - Account number: [insert account number] > - Order or service date: September 18, 2026 > - What I purchased: Internet service with installation > - What I was promised: The $185 installation fee would be waived > - Where the promise was made: During a phone call with a BrightWave sales representative > - What went wrong: My October 2, 2026 bill included a $185 installation charge > - What I have already done: I called customer service on October 4 and October 19. The first representative said the charge was correct. The second representative said a supervisor would review it, but I received no response. > - Evidence I have: The service order confirmation, the October bill, and notes showing the dates and approximate times of my calls > - Resolution I want: Remove the $185 charge, issue a corrected bill, and confirm in writing that the adjustment has been made > - Response deadline: Please respond within 14 calendar days of receiving this letter > > Write a complaint letter of no more than 400 words. > > Requirements: > - Use a calm, factual, professional tone. > - Do not exaggerate, threaten, insult, or make legal claims. > - Put the requested resolution near the beginning and repeat it clearly at the end. > - Organize the facts in chronological order. > - Mention the documents I am enclosing, but do not invent evidence. > - Include a subject line. > - Add a final paragraph explaining that I will consider contacting the appropriate consumer-protection agency or filing a formal dispute if the matter is not resolved, but phrase this accurately and without sounding threatening. > - After the letter, provide a separate checklist of blanks or facts I should verify before sending it.

Why this prompt works: The prompt supplies dates, amounts, prior contacts, evidence, and a precise remedy. That prevents AI from producing the familiar but ineffective letter that says only, “I am very disappointed.” It also sets limits: no invented facts, no exaggerated legal language, and no unnecessary emotion. Asking for a final verification checklist is especially useful because it turns the AI into an editor as well as a writer.

Know someone who spends too long on things AI could do in two minutes? Forward this to three people who subscribe and I will send you my free AI Prompt Starter Pack: 20 ready-to-use prompts for everyday life.

By Dr. Rowan Hayes