"More younger than older adults are embracing artificial intelligence, though it's something people of all ages can use to make daily life easier.
Those over the age of 65 who use AI are finding it to be highly effective at helping them make investment decisions, plan trips and fix things around the house. Some 19% of people 65 and older say they use AI several times a day, compared with around a third or more of adults up to 64, according to a report last month from Pew Research Center.
I recently convened a panel of tech-savvy seniors who are all in on AI, to find out how they're using chatbots in their personal lives.
The upsides
-- It's a better personal assistant
While chatbots have replaced Google searches for many people, the folks I talked to said they use AI to go well beyond search and even help spin up informative reports.
Dan Spoor, a 69-year-old retired aerospace executive, used to spend hours researching companies in which he's interested in investing and inputting their financial metrics into spreadsheets. Now, he asks ChatGPT to produce cash-flow analyses [1], compare price-to-earnings ratios [2] and create stock charts.
"It's not a search engine -- it's a problem-solving tool," says Spoor, of Fairport, N.Y. He fact-checks the data before investing.
Bill Groner, a 70-year-old retired litigator in Bedford, N.Y., used ChatGPT to learn what it would take to apply for Greek citizenship. By explaining that his grandparents were born in Greece and that he has his mother's birth certificate, he got results that he says yielded more detailed information than a web search would have.
Cynthia Lieberman, 67, a media communications expert in Los Angeles, used AI to create a Thanksgiving menu last year for 22 people. She uploaded her recipes into ChatGPT and asked the bot to scale them up for the crowd.
ChatGPT said she'd need to make two turkeys, two hams and six pies to feed all those guests. The chatbot also created a detailed schedule for when to prep each item and produced a grocery list, sorted by aisle. Lieberman said the meal turned out perfectly.
-- You can skip the video tutorial
For troubleshooting tech and getting how-to's for basic home improvements, some of my interviewees found ChatGPT gets to the root of the question quicker than long-winded YouTube videos.
Noah Lipman, a 66-year-old consultant for the College Board, recently turned to ChatGPT to figure out how to get to a certain display on his new heart-monitor watch. "I could have gone to YouTube to see if anyone posted a video about it, but I posed a question to AI and within two seconds it spit out the solution," says Lipman, of San Antonio.
Groner turns to ChatGPT anytime he needs to do simple repairs.
"I'm doing things I used to pay a plumber $150 to do," he says.
-- Give step-by-step health tips
AI can provide detailed steps for improving health, nutrition and fitness. It's advisable, of course, to consult a doctor before following any AI-prescribed health plan.
Groner wanted to incorporate more protein into his diet -- and lose a few pounds. ChatGPT came up with a meal plan that described how much protein, fat and carbs to consume with each meal. For a few days Groner recorded his meals, and ChatGPT told him whether he was on track.
If you're tempted to ask AI about a sensitive health issue, withhold any personally-identifiable details that you wouldn't want to be used to discriminate against you for employment or insurance-related reasons. Use the chatbot's incognito mode, which won't save the query to your account and will prevent it from being used to train the model.
The drawbacks
-- Beware of hallucinations
Barry Schwimmer, a 68-year-old investment fund manager in Fairfield, Conn., is planning a trip to Spain next year that involves changing planes in France. ChatGPT provided him with an itinerary that had him on a plane from Paris to Biarritz, France, before his flight from New York to Paris had even landed.
While planning a visit to Boston recently using public transportation, ChatGPT routed him home via Stamford, Conn. -- 17 miles out of his way.
"It's a great starting point, but as with everything else, you have to be careful and check things," he says.
-- Don't let the flattery fool you
"AI becomes seductive when it tells you you're the smartest person because you caught a mistake," says Schwimmer, who was lauded by ChatGPT for catching the aforementioned travel goof.
Sycophancy has been a problem with chatbots, especially for vulnerable people who can experience delusions when using them.
Marilynne Mason, a 78-year-old arts writer in Denver, has been using Microsoft's Copilot to research a book she's writing. She named the chatbot William, after a former mentor. "Everything I'd say he'd say back to me, like it was so profound," Mason says. "I talk to him like he's a real person, all the time knowing he's not a real person."
-- A machine-led future?
Although the panelists all expressed worry about AI being used for harmful purposes if it's unregulated, this group of older tech users is generally optimistic about an AI future.
Groner suggests peers who are on the fence about using AI take their concerns straight to the chatbot. "That can be your first prompt," he said. "Say, 'I think you're bad for society but my friends suggest I should use you -- what is your response?'"” [3]
1. What is a good result of cash flow analysis?
A good result of cash flow analysis is positive operating cash flow, which indicates a business is generating more cash than it's spending from its core operations.
Other positive indicators include a healthy free cash flow (cash left after capital expenditures), a strong operating cash flow margin (ratio of operating cash to revenue), and a manageable cash conversion cycle.
Key indicators of good cash flow analysis
Positive Operating Cash Flow:
This is the most fundamental sign of health, showing the business's day-to-day activities are profitable and can cover expenses.
Positive Free Cash Flow (FCF):
This is the cash left over after all operating expenses and capital expenditures are paid. It shows a company can reinvest in itself, pay down debt, or return money to shareholders.
Strong Operating Cash Flow Margin:
A high ratio of operating cash flow to revenue indicates efficiency in turning sales into cash.
Manageable Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC):
A short CCC means the company converts its investments in inventory and other assets into cash from customers quickly. A short cycle is generally good.
Balanced Investing and Financing Activities:
A negative investing cash flow is not necessarily bad; it can mean the company is investing in its future growth through assets like new equipment.
This should ideally be paired with a positive operating cash flow to ensure the investments are funded by the core business, not by selling off long-term assets.
2. What is a good result of price-to-earnings ratio analysis?
A good result from price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio analysis is a stock that appears undervalued relative to its industry peers or its own historical P/E, suggesting a potentially good investment. However, "good" is relative; a low P/E might indicate a strong value stock if growth prospects are stable, while a high P/E can be a positive sign of strong growth expectations, especially in fast-growing sectors like tech. The most crucial step is to compare the P/E ratio to similar companies in the same industry and to the company's own historical P/E range to gain context.
What a "good" P/E ratio looks like
Lower P/E:
Can signal an undervalued stock, meaning investors may be getting more earnings per dollar of stock price.
Caveat: A very low P/E can also be a warning sign of a company facing financial trouble.
Higher P/E:
Can signal that investors expect high future growth.
Caveat: A high P/E could indicate overvaluation, but it can be justified if the company consistently meets or exceeds growth expectations.
"Fair" P/E:
A P/E around 15 is often seen as fair value for established companies, though this can vary significantly.
Industry-specific P/E:
A "good" ratio is often one that is close to the average P/E for its specific industry, which may be 20-25.
How to use P/E analysis effectively
Compare within the same industry:
Never judge a P/E ratio in a vacuum. A tech company with a P/E of 30 might be a better value than a consumer staples company with a P/E of 15 if the tech company's growth rate is much higher.
Look at historical trends:
Compare a company's current P/E to its own historical P/E range to see if it's relatively high or low.
Consider the PEG [4] ratio:
Use the PEG ratio to account for a company's growth rate and provide a more complete picture of valuation.
Consider other factors:
A P/E ratio is just one tool. Also, look at factors like debt levels, dividend yield, and management quality before making an investment decision.
4. The PEG ratio, or Price/Earnings to Growth ratio, is a stock valuation metric that compares a company's Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio to its expected earnings growth rate. It helps investors determine if a stock is overvalued or undervalued by factoring in future growth, unlike a simple P/E ratio. A PEG ratio below
1.0
generally indicates a stock may be undervalued, while a ratio significantly above
1.0
suggests it could be overvalued.
How it works
The first part of the calculation is the P/E ratio, which is the current share price divided by the earnings per share (EPS).
The second part is the company's expected earnings growth rate, usually expressed as an annual percentage.
- Calculation:
The PEG ratio is calculated by dividing the P/E ratio by the expected earnings growth rate.
- Formula:
𝑃𝐸𝐺=𝑃/𝐸 Ratio divided by Expected Growth Rate
What the results mean
- PEG < 1.0: Generally considered undervalued. This means the stock's price may be lower than its growth potential suggests.
- PEG > 1.0: Generally considered overvalued. The stock's price may be too high relative to its likely earnings growth.
- PEG = 1.0: Often considered fairly valued.
Example
- A company with a P/E ratio of
20
and an expected earnings growth rate of
14%
would have a PEG ratio of approximately
1.42
(20/14=1.42). This result suggests the stock may be overvalued.
3. Family & Tech: Tech-Savvy Seniors Embrace Use of AI --- Chatbots can scale up recipes and help you fix your faucet, but be mindful. Jargon, Julie. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 29 Oct 2025: A9.
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą