How people use ChatGPT is expanding beyond writing and information searches toward solving everyday problems. Cases are increasing in which people use ChatGPT as an assistive tool in daily situations, such as organising items, preventing impulse buying, identifying plants and buildings, and checking the cause of simple home-appliance malfunctions.

On Sept. 21, IT media outlet TechRadar introduced seven unusual ways of using ChatGPT, including tidying up, reviewing spending, identifying objects and resolving device problems, based on cases shared in user communities.

The most noticeable change is using photos and conversation along with text. Users take pictures of piles of items or products, show them to ChatGPT and ask how to sort them. They also photograph nearby plants, animals and buildings to check related information.

Tidying up is a representative use case. One user said they take pictures of a junk drawer or a box filled with various power adapters and ask ChatGPT how to organise it. The method has ChatGPT infer the items in the photo and suggest criteria for sorting by purpose and type.

A case was also introduced in which a user photographed a box containing a mix of lenses, medicine, cables and memos and asked ChatGPT to analyse it. The explanation said the approach helped with organisation by having ChatGPT add colour markings and annotations to the image to distinguish items.

Some users are also using ChatGPT to reduce spending. Unlike typical AI shopping tools that help find and buy desired products, some users ask ChatGPT to discourage them from buying. One user said they show candidate products to ChatGPT and ask it to find "reasons not to buy". They check impulse buying by asking whether they already have something similar, whether they really need it and whether they would still want it a month later.

It is also used to manage products with many varieties, such as skincare items. One user said they entered the products they own into ChatGPT, compared ingredients and found overlapping or unnecessary items. Instead of getting recommendations for new products, they used AI to analyse what they already had to cut spending.

Object identification using a camera was also cited as a popular use. Users take photos of plants, insects or birds to confirm the species, or show buildings while travelling and ask about historical background.

The article also introduced a method of capturing a map screen and asking ChatGPT to pick places worth stopping by on a walking or travel route. It is a case in which ChatGPT is used as a travel assistive tool that goes beyond simple search and organises information by understanding the surrounding environment.

Still, AI answers based on images and text should not be trusted unconditionally. In particular, explanations about historical facts or places may be plausible but wrong, so they need to be checked against actual sources. It is also safer to check maps or official information rather than rely entirely on AI guidance for travel routes.

There are also cases of using it to check faulty home appliances. One user said their dishwasher stopped working, so they showed ChatGPT the error message and a photo of the product and received step-by-step troubleshooting guidance.

An advantage is that users can show the current condition with photos even if they do not know the exact name of a part. The method has ChatGPT present, in order, items that a user can check themselves based on the error message and the product’s condition.

Still, problems that could lead to safety accidents, such as electricity, gas or high-temperature equipment, should not be repaired directly based only on AI guidance. It should be used at the level of basic checks, and if there is risk, users should consult the manufacturer’s manual or seek help from a professional technician.

AI is also being used to choose products with many options, such as eyeglass frames. Users upload a face photo and narrow down the shape and size of frames that may suit them. AI does not necessarily pick a specific product but plays a supporting role by filtering styles worth trying first from among many options.

Users are also using ChatGPT in various ways, such as identifying items at home or comparing products they own. The common point is delegating annoying or cumbersome everyday judgments to AI rather than complex specialist tasks.

These cases show that how ChatGPT is used is moving away from writing elaborate prompts. It is a method of inserting AI into everyday decision-making, such as looking at items, sorting, comparing, reconsidering purchases and checking possible causes of malfunctions.

How ChatGPT is used in daily life is also expanding from "what to ask" to "what to show directly". As it becomes common to get surrounding objects and situations analysed with a single photo and a simple question, the possibility is increasing that AI will establish itself as an everyday assistive tool that helps solve day-to-day problems.

Still, in areas where the cost of an error is high, such as health, safety and finance, AI answers should be used as reference information rather than a final judgment. Facts should be checked through official materials or experts.