TechRadar artificial intelligence Week 2025
This article is part of NewForTech’s AI Week 2025. We’ll cover the basics of AI and show you how to get the most out of ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, as well as detailed features, news and key talking points in the AI world.
Most conversations about AI are about work. productivity, email, spreadsheets, efficiency. All of this is useful, but it ignores the fact that technology should also be fun. AI is not just about saving time in the office; It can also make your free time more interesting.
From creating playlists tailored to your mood to creating personalized puzzles and quizzes for a night out with friends, AI has become surprisingly effective in the field of personal entertainment. It’s like having a personal DJ, quiz expert and game designer all in one.
1. Music that really fits the moment
We’ve all wasted time scrolling through Spotify to find the right playlist. There are millions of options, but none seem to create the exact atmosphere you want. Artificial intelligence solves this problem by creating playlists based on your preferences.
Ask for a “two-hour playlist to prepare dinner on a rainy Sunday” and you’ll get a mix of songs to suit your mood. Want something more specific? Try “indie disco hits for a post-wedding party” or “lo-fi beats for late night”. The playlists aren’t random either; They are selected based on your taste, so they should seem personal and not generic.
I tried it recently before traveling. I asked for “a six-hour playlist for a walk in the Scottish Highlands, a mix of classic rock and modern folk.” The result was terrifying. It featured artists I already loved, but also added new songs I’d never heard before. It felt like a playlist made by a friend rather than a generic Spotify mix.
2. Personalized puzzles to train your brain
AI can also create puzzles tailored to your needs. Crosswords, word searches, Sudoku variants. Instead of choosing from what is published in the magazine, you can request challenges based on your interests.
I tried to order a wrestling themed crossword puzzle, one of my guilty pleasures. The AI created tracks and a grid within minutes. Some of the directions were a little vague, but they worked. The nice thing was that I had a puzzle built especially for me, not for a large audience.
3. Text adventure
Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for real video games, but can generate light games for quick fun. Text adventures, choose your own road stories or even little logic puzzles. You provide the framework and the AI inserts the content.
I tested it by asking for a short text adventure in Tokyo. Within seconds I had a branching story where I could explore the streets, talk to locals and discover hidden plots. It wasn’t as fancy as a commercial game, but it was addictive enough to keep me hooked for about 30 minutes.
The flexibility makes it exciting. You can customize environment, difficulty or themes. Want a crime novel set in your hometown? Completed. Do you want a fantasy game where your dog is the main character? ChatGPT will fix that. Think of it as the modern equivalent of your childhood “choose your own adventure.”
4. A questionnaire for each occasion
Quizzes are one of the easiest ways to entertain a group, but creating them is a tricky task. Asking good questions, balancing challenges and avoiding repetition takes effort. ChatGPT does this immediately.
Take a “Premier League History Test 20 Questions, Mixed Difficulty” and get a range of ready-made answers. Want something crazier? Request “a lighthearted and fun 30th anniversary pop culture quiz”. You can also ask it to create image sets by combining questions with AI-generated images.
I tested it on friends by doing a “pub quiz with 15 questions, five on movies, five on sports, five on general knowledge.” The mix was good and the questions led to discussion. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt authentic enough to work for occasional occasions where I had to do a test. I wish I had ChatGPT during the covid-19 pandemic; This would have improved daily work tests 100 times!
5. Learning disguised as fun
This article was originally published as part of ChatGPT Basics Guidenow available in. ChatGPT Basics Guide is packed with great tips and advice from experts, covering everything you need to know about the world’s most popular AI, from the basics to some of the latest features.
AI tests can also serve as learning tools. If you are trying to learn a new topic, you can create practice questions. I tested it with simple Japanese sentences before my upcoming honeymoon and the AI created a flashcard style quiz. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was effective.
This approach also works for children. Parents can create spelling tests, math problems, or themed puzzles to make homework less difficult. The ability to customize the material makes it feel less like schoolwork and more like play.
Personalization is the secret
The common thread in everything you do with ChatGPT is personalization. Commercially available playlists, puzzles and quizzes are good, but they are generic. If you give the AI enough information about your preferences or the task at hand, it can make your life incredibly easier. Without more information, the AI is as generic as anything else you can find online.
Instead of a “workout playlist,” you get “a workout playlist focused on 21st century hip-hop, no slow songs.” Instead of a “general knowledge quiz” you get “a quiz for five people who love Marvel movies and Formula 1”. That’s the fun part: you feel like the content is made for you, because it is.
Things to think about
As always, there are caveats. The AI sometimes reuses templates, which can make quizzes repetitive if you don’t change the instructions. Music recommendations are only as good as the libraries they come from. And while AI can generate games, they are still newer than a complete replacement for commercial titles. ChatGPT will not be developing Grand Theft Auto VI anytime soon.
But restrictions must not spoil the fun. See ChatGPT as a creative spark, not a finished product. You get the most out of it by combining your own ideas.
How AI can balance work and play
AI is refreshing because it removes a lot of the decision paralysis. Instead of wasting half an hour choosing a movie, ask the AI for advice. Instead of burdening yourself with writing 20 test questions, you can complete them in seconds. Instead of searching for a playlist that matches your mood, just describe the mood and ask someone to create one for you.
Entertainment should be fun, not effort. Artificial intelligence takes away the effort and the fun.
ChatGPT is not just a business tool, it is a personalization engine that can make your free time more enjoyable. Whether you’re creating playlists to suit your mood, creating quizzes specific to your group, or even planning a texting adventure, the entertainment is tailored for you.
The best part is how accessible it is. You don’t have to be a programmer or designer; All you have to do is know what you want, describe it and let ChatGPT do the work.