Start here
Three libraries, one honest method.
Whatever brought you here — a chatbot you can’t figure out, a robot you’re curious about, or a price you don’t trust — start at the door that sounds like you.
This site is written by one person: a professor of AI and robotics who tests things and reports what actually happened. It is organized as three libraries — the AI that writes, the AI that does, and the AI that moves.
Every price carries the month it was checked. Nothing is ranked because someone paid. When the honest answer is “don’t use AI for this,” that is what you’ll read.
DOOR 1
“I’ve never used AI, and I’d like to start”
The walkthrough I hand to friends and family: every screen, every button, nothing assumed. Then free tools, the family safe word, old photos, letters, Excel, trip planning, and the doctor-visit prep — a numbered path of eight.
Start with ChatGPT, step by step →
DOOR 2
“Which tool should I actually use?”
Chatbots and writing tools compared on the same brief, with the free tiers tested and the month of every price printed.
Browse the Generative AI library →
DOOR 3
“I want AI to build my first website”
The Vibe Coding Course: 11 parts, free. A working page in ten minutes with no install — then deploying it, verifying it, and grading it with a printable 100-point scorecard.
Begin at Part 1 →
DOOR 4
“I teach this”
The full 15-week syllabus behind the course, the grading rubric, honest data from 27 student sites — and the four things I got wrong.
Read the instructor’s edition →
DOOR 5
“What about robots and chips?”
Landmark 2026 research decoded in plain English, the home robots people actually buy tested at US prices, and the chip industry explained.
Start at Physical AI Foundations →
DOOR 6
“Just tell me what it costs”
Every tool on this site, on one page, with the month each price was verified. No sign-up, no affiliate ranking.
Open the AI Price Tracker →
A specific question? 132 answers, searchable — and if yours isn’t there, ask me directly.
What you can expect here
Dated facts
Every price and limit says when it was checked. In 2026, an unchecked AI article is wrong within months.
Named limits
Where the free tier ends, which hardware is required, what a benchmark does not prove.
Plain English
Written for people, not algorithms. Terms are defined the first time they appear.
No pay-for-placement
Affiliate links are disclosed and never affect a ranking. Most guides here contain none at all.
Free printable
The Family Safety Kit (PDF, 6 pages)
The safe-word card, the First 60 Minutes sheet, and photo first aid — print them tonight, share them with anyone. No sign-up required.
Download the free kit →Prefer email? One short Lab Report a week.
30-second tour · what this page is for
New to AI? Start on one page.
- Three libraries — AI that writes, AI that does, AI that moves — pick the one you actually need.
- Plain English — Written for people who never took a computer class. No jargon, no hype.
- 54 tests and guides — Every one links to the next step, so you are never left guessing.