Plan a trip with no driving, then ask for places you'd never find
At a Senior Planet "Intro to Chatting with AI" class for adults 60 and older in New York City, Business Insider's Noah Sheidlower heard from one student who had asked AI to plan a five-day vacation that didn't require driving, then asked it again for spots she wouldn't already know about.
What they did
She set one firm limit up front (no driving) and a trip length (five days). When the first plan came back, she followed up and asked for lesser-known places instead of the usual tourist list. The class, run by Senior Planet from AARP, covered ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot; the article doesn't say which tool she used.
How it went
She shared it in class as one of the ways she uses AI in real life. The trainer's advice to the class fits her approach: keep prompting, and put as much detail as you can in your first prompt.
Worth knowing
AI can make up train times, bus routes, prices, and opening hours, and "hidden gems" can be closed or hard to reach. Check every schedule and fare on the transit, rail, or tour company's official site before you book. If walking distance, stairs, or rest breaks matter, say so in your prompt. Don't share passport numbers, loyalty logins, or your home address.
Try it yourself
Copy this into AI assistant (not named in the source) (or any AI assistant). Replace the parts in [brackets] with your own details.
Plan a [5]-day trip starting from [city] that doesn't require driving. I can use trains, buses, ferries, taxis, and walking up to about [distance] a day. I like [interests] and want [pace: relaxed / one big activity a day]. Budget about [amount] per day. First give me a day-by-day plan. Then suggest three lesser-known places along the way that most visitors miss, and explain how to get to each without a car. Mark every schedule, price, and hour as "verify on the official site before booking."
Source: Reported by Noah Sheidlower, Business Insider, Aug 24, 2025. Read the original →
Reported by a news outlet or publication. Summarized in our own words. Spotted a mistake or want this removed? Tell us.