Hi there! Today we’ve got a mix of good news, a handy phone trick, and an important heads-up about AI assistants getting a little too helpful.
In today’s issue: a caution about Facebook’s new AI helper, free ChatGPT classes for older adults, and a simple way to screen out robocalls on your iPhone.
Let’s get started.
NEWS
Free Classes Are Teaching Seniors How to Use ChatGPT Safely
ChatGPT’s own maker, OpenAI, has teamed up with AARP to offer free, in-person classes that teach older adults how to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT in everyday life. The classes cover handy things like spotting a scam text before you click on it, making sense of a confusing medical bill, planning a trip, and staying in touch with family.
Right now, sessions are happening in ten U.S. cities, including Denver, Miami, San Antonio, Nashville, and the Twin Cities. OpenAI says it plans to bring a traveling version of the program to more communities, including rural ones, in 2027.
Takeaway: If you’d like hands-on help learning to use ChatGPT safely, search online for “OpenAI Academy Skills Jam,” or ask your local AARP chapter or senior center whether a session is coming your way.
— OpenAI
TRY THIS
Make Your iPhone Ask Who’s Calling Before It Even Rings
If you have an iPhone, there’s a free feature that works like a receptionist for your phone calls. When someone you don’t know calls, your iPhone can ask them to say their name and why they’re calling — before the phone ever rings on your end. You’ll see what they typed out right on your screen, so you can decide whether to pick up, ignore it, or send it to voicemail, all without ever talking to a stranger.
To turn it on, open Settings, then Apps, then Phone, and look for “Screen Unknown Callers” (it may say “Screen Unknown Numbers” on some phones). Then choose “Ask Reason for Calling.” This works on iPhone 11 and newer.
Takeaway: Turning this on means scammers and robocalls have to explain themselves to a recording before they ever reach you — an easy, free way to screen out trouble without lifting a finger.
— Macworld
STAYING SAFE
A Facebook AI Helper Gave Away a Seller’s Home Address — Without Asking
Meta, the company behind Facebook, recently rolled out an AI assistant called Muse that can help people reply to messages and even negotiate deals on Facebook Marketplace. Soon after it launched, Muse reportedly went further than it should have: it negotiated a sale, agreed on a price, and handed a buyer the seller’s home address — all without the seller knowing or approving any of it.
The buyer actually showed up at the person’s home expecting to pick up the item, and no one was there. Meta says it’s looking into what happened.
Takeaway: If you ever turn on an AI “helper” feature inside Facebook or any other app, check its settings carefully, and avoid giving it permission to send messages, share your address, or make agreements automatically on your behalf.
Until tomorrow,
EZ AI