And Why Should Homesteaders Care?

Objectives:

  1. Define Artificial Intelligence in everyday terms

  2. Identify the five common types of AI

  3. Classify homesteading tasks by AI type (e.g., predictive, generative)

  4. Explain how each AI type can support different aspects of self-sufficiency

Computer Vision

    • Your phone unlocks when it sees your face

    • Photo apps recognize your pets and family

    • Google Lens identifies plants or objects through your camera

  • Use a plant ID app to recognize weeds, pests, or diseases in your garden by snapping a photo.

Natural Language Processing

    • Voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google respond to your questions

    • Autocorrect and grammar check in emails or texts

    • Search engines understand and answer your questions

  • Ask Alexa, “When is the best time to plant tomatoes in my planting zone?”

Robotics

    • Robot vacuums clean your floors

    • Lawn mowers that cut the grass automatically

    • Smart home tools that adjust lights or thermostats

  • Install an automatic chicken coop door that opens at sunrise and closes after dark, keeping your flock safe without daily trips.

Click OK to match the 5 AI types with their everyday and homestead use. Correctly matched pairs will disappear.

Share a way that AI helped you this week. Click the + sign at the bottom right. Use #hashtags to connect your post to others with similar experiences.

Predictive AI

    • Netflix recommends shows based on your past viewing

    • Your weather app sends alerts for upcoming storms

    • Google Maps reroutes you based on traffic

  • Use AI weather apps to predict your planting and harvesting windows or to remind you of seasonal tasks like pruning or seed starting.

Generative AI

    • AI writes emails, social media posts, or blog articles

    • Creates music, art, or even recipes based on your input

    • Suggests captions or text for your photos

  • Ask AI to create a weekly meal plan based on what’s in your pantry, or generate a layout for your raised bed garden.

Made with Padlet

Now that you've been introduced to the five types of AI and how they appear in everyday life, it’s time to dive deeper into just one—Generative AI. In the next lesson, you’ll learn how this powerful tool can help you save time, streamline your homestead planning, and even create custom resources with just a few smart prompts.

✨ You’ll also get hands-on practice writing effective AI prompts and tracking how much time you can actually save.

*Click "Next Lesson" to begin Lesson 2: Your ROI with AI.