This one’s for the dads

Hey there, {{first_name | friend}},

A couple of weeks ago, WIRED journalist EJ Dickson and I had a great conversation. We talked about AI and feminism. AI and the environment. I shared my thoughts on where AI actually fits into a household, and even a couple of practical suggestions for her own life.

Her piece ran last week, and the angle she took surprised me. I don't entirely share the framing, but I respect the reporting. She called it “Momfluencers are pitching AI as a better ‘Coparent’ than men.”

Here's my take. I don't think of AI as a replacement coparent or as a tool that makes it easier for moms to absorb more. I also don’t think that moms carry the whole mental load, while dads get off scot-free. 

The way I truly think about it: many households divide responsibilities between two people and negotiate who does what. AI creates the possibility of a third party in that equation. Not another coparent, but another opportunity to delegate the work that currently defaults to one person. In my household, that work includes meal planning, calendar-keeping, and our morning reminder system. AI picks those up, so neither of us has to. For us, that changes the math in a way that optimizing one person's efficiency never could.

This newsletter is called AI-Empowered Mom, but it has always been for every caregiver carrying the mental load. Dads included. Grandparents, single parents, and chosen family, too. My book is even called The AI-Empowered Family (coming from Wiley in 2027), because the mental load is a family thing.

So this week, in honor of Father's Day, we're shining a light on the dads.

I asked my husband how he uses AI, and the first thing he did was clarify that I meant generative AI. {{first_name | Friend}}, I was proud.

Then he admitted he doesn't use it as much as I'd like (his words, and really, that's why we make a good team). But after some reflection, he shared his top three use cases:

In his honor, here are three prompts built around exactly those use cases.

Copy and paste these into your favorite AI tool (like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or Gemini).

Prompt 1: Fix It Yourself With a Photo

Act as an expert home repair coach. I'm going to share a photo of [WHAT YOU'RE FIXING: a leaky faucet, a wobbly chair, a running toilet, etc.]. Walk me through how to fix it in clear, numbered steps. Tell me exactly which tools and materials I'll need before I start, flag anything that could go wrong, and let me know when a problem is better left to a professional. Format the output as a simple step-by-step checklist I can follow with my phone in one hand.

Dad tip: Most AI tools let you upload a photo right in the chat. A picture gets you much better instructions than trying to describe the problem in 1000 words.

Prompt 2: Say It So They Feel Heard

Act as a thoughtful communication coach. Help me write a [TEXT/NOTE/MESSAGE] to [PERSON] about [SITUATION]. I want them to feel heard and validated. Keep it warm and in my own voice. Give me 2 or 3 versions at different lengths so I can pick one.

Dad tip: Add a line like "here's how I'd normally say it" with a quick example, and the AI tool will match your tone instead of sounding like a greeting card.

Prompt 3: Research a Purchase the Right Way

Act as a no-nonsense product researcher. I'm trying to choose the best [PRODUCT: softball, drill, carseat, lawn mower, etc.] for [USE CASE: my 8-year-old's summer league, occasional home projects, etc.]. Explain the key differences between the main types, what actually matters for my situation, and what's just marketing. Then recommend 3 specific options at different price points with a one-line reason for each. Format the output as a quick comparison I can scan in under a minute.

Dad tip: This one shines for those rabbit-hole purchases where regular search just sends you in circles. Softballs, apparently, are a surprisingly deep topic.

Greg Neufeld (with his wife Danielle), the hosts of The Most Important Thing podcast: Greg joined us to talk about the viral article "Something Big Is Happening," and what it means for families trying to keep up with how fast everything is moving. Greg and Danielle bring a real two-parent perspective on navigating this together. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or my website.

Jeff Riley: Jeff sat down with us to talk about raising AI-ready kids, the skills that actually matter, and how parents can prepare children for a world we're all still figuring out ourselves. Catch this episode on Apple, Spotify, or my website.

Community request: If these conversations are helpful, following, rating, or reviewing the podcast makes a real difference in helping other parents find us. Thanks to everyone who has already helped with this!

Happy Father’s Day from AI-Empowered Mom

To every dad reading this, and to every dad being celebrated by someone reading this: Happy Father's Day. Thank you for the fixing, the researching, the carefully worded texts, and all the mental load you carry too.

This Father's Day, forward this to a dad in your life who's shouldering some of the mental load of modern life. A little less load, a little more ease, for all of us.

Until next time,

Sarah

P.S. A note on how this was made: This edition was written by me and drafted with AI support. I brought the human writing, my LinkedIn piece, my husband's actual words, and the direction for every section, then used AI (Claude, specifically) to shape it all into a first draft.

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