I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything

by Joanna Stern

What happens when intelligent machines aren’t just in our pockets but are also driving our cars, making our decisions, folding our laundry, and educating our kids?

You’ve heard the AI will make us healthier, give every child a personalized tutor, run our businesses more efficiently, return hours of free time to our overworked brains, and make discoveries previously unimagined by humankind. The AI future is going to be unlike any other technological revolu­tion. But what does that really mean? And will AI truly make life better?

To find out, award-winning journalist Joanna Stern surrendered her life to artificial intelligence for one year. The results are both hilarious and unsettling.

I Am Not a Robot is like a time machine trip to the very near future, where AI promises to be your doctor, chauffeur, teacher, masseuse, coworker, thera­pist, financial planner, chef, housekeeper, and even . . . romantic partner. Your colleague might be using ChatGPT to write emails at work, but Joanna used AI tools and robots to do household chores, to manage her health, and to transport her family on vacation. If there was a decision to make or a task to do, she let AI go first. Along the way, she conducted exclusive interviews with the tech leaders building this future, then reported back from the front lines as your funny, no-nonsense tour guide.

Of course, tech’s sunny promises never tell the whole story, and that’s what Joanna is here to share. Filled with illustrations and photographs, this book offers less hype, more clarity, and as little jargon as humanly (or robotically) possible. It’s an AI guide for ordinary people—not the tech bros who tried to sell you a cruise to the metaverse or an NFT of a cartoon monkey.

This book is not the definitive story, because we’re only a few years into the AI revolution. But after a year of living as a human lab rat, Joanna deliv­ers one of the clearest—and funniest—pictures yet of what’s really happening and what it means for you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Biography Memoir, Technology, Memoir

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Heather Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Award-winning journalist Joanna Stern decides to let AI rule her life. From medical tests to smart fridges to autonomous cars, talking stuffies and more, Stern shows us both the positives AI can have on our lives as well as the negatives.
This was the best piece of AI non-fiction I have read yet, which really breaks down the common terms and ideas around AI and makes them more consumable for the layman. Told in both a frank and funny way, we see how the present has been shaped already and what we may expect in the future. It may not be all extra quality time and Jetson-like lives. Stern doesn’t talk to us like we are stupid; instead, she brings us along on this adventure. She asks the questions we all have, especially the hard ones.
I tandem read this, which I recommend or fully in digital and print to fully appreciate the drawings, pictures and other mixed media.

[David Steck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am Not a Robot is a smart, entertaining, and surprisingly educational look at the promises and frustrations of today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. Much like her longtime work at The Wall Street Journal, Joanna Stern brings humor, curiosity, and a deeply human touch to complex tech topics, making this an easy and engaging read even for non-technical audiences. Funny at times and thoughtful throughout, the book captures both the excitement and the absurdity of living alongside AI and modern digital tools

[Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely laughed out load multiple times while reading (the description of Joanna’s mental state at 4 am especially). A refreshing view of what is working and what isn’t living up to the promise of the AI world of tomorrow. Looking forward to starting some of my own experiments (though I don’t think I’m going to be quite as adventurous). Worth the read.

[Tina Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a terrific introduction to how AI can and is being used in our daily lives.

[Taylor High · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I love me a Joanna Stern experiment — and her full-length publication is exactly what I’d expect from her. Loveeee.

[Kathie Bennet]

I Am Not a Robot by Joanna Stern is a sharp, accessible exploration of what it means to live alongside rapidly advancing AI. Blending personal experimentation with reporting and expert insight, the book offers a balanced look at both the promise and limitations of artificial intelligence in everyday life. Informative, engaging, and thought-provoking for readers curious about the real impact of AI on the future.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to do (Almost) Everything by Joanna Stern sets out to answer a simple question: will AI actually make our lives better? Stern tackles this in the most unhinged way possible by spending a year forcing AI into every facet of her life. And I do mean every facet, dragging her family along for the ride.

Warning: do not try this at home. This is, objectively, a bad idea.

This book is best suited for the tech-curious reader. Stern offers a humorous tour of the overwhelming number of AI tools currently available, highlighting which ones might improve daily life and which ones very much do not. Readers with a more advanced understanding of AI won’t find much new information here, but there is something satisfying about watching the good, the bad, and the really, really bad play out on the page.

As an academic librarian, I appreciated how clearly this book explains key AI concepts without relying on heavy technical language. The humor and illustrations make it accessible, and the examples, like the contrast between AI use in complex medical diagnoses versus more routine clinical settings, create rich opportunities for discussion.

This exercise raises questions about data, privacy, and how easily other people can be pulled into that exchange, as well as what we owe to one another as we move into a more AI-driven future.

Stern is not unaware of this. She establishes clear rules at the outset, committing to use AI wherever possible while also giving herself permission to abandon tools that begin to cause problems. That flexibility models a more realistic way to engage with these technologies.

She also consistently reminds the reader of the data trade-offs involved. Throughout the book, she reflects on how much personal information she is giving up and what that exchange actually means, especially as it begins to affect her relationships. While these precautions are clearly intended to address the risks associated with this experiment, I’m not convinced they do enough to meaningfully mitigate the potential harms.

Overall, this is an entertaining and accessible look at the current AI landscape. While I don’t agree with all of Stern’s conclusions about what worked or how these tools might shape a more positive AI future, the book still offers plenty to think about and creates rich opportunities for discussion. I could easily see using it in information literacy classes or as a book club read in my library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Business for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up for commitment, even when I wished she hadn’t

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very funny and insightful take on AI in our current society. There is so much controversy about it that I appreciated the clear explanations from this seasoned Wall Street Journal tech writer. Gen AI is only one thing affecting us, even though it's the the thing we hear about the most. Stern addresses self-driving cars, robots, and virtual assistants, among many other things. She also brings up the ethical concerns of having huge data centers that use up precious resources as well as the educational concerns of children raised on AI.

[Lisa Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book, one that should be read by everyone, whether they love AI or not. Tech journalist Joanna Stern spent a year using AI for everything she could and then compiling her findings in this easy-to-read book that made me laugh out loud as well as be afraid. Stern did a great job of not telling me her true feelings about her experiment until the end. The book (written, edited and illustrated by humans) mixes first-hand experiences with interviews with experts in the AI field.
My copy is filled with bookmarked spots that made me think.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general, the premise is OK. Obviously, it’s very biased to her life and her needs in her experience which I did not agree with on many levels. The whole anxiety piece just gave me anxiety, and I feel that due to the pace of change of these LLM’s much of this is already outdated. Finally, it’s a tool,we can decide to use it, we can decide not to use it same with social media. No one‘s forcing us to use it so it’s about setting limits for ourselves.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for a deeper dive and a more critical view of the topic . In her recent interview, she admits to having tried more things that didn’t work that weren’t included.
Nevertheless, I appreciate her broad look at where AI is being used and her personal experiences with it.
I also thank her family for their patience with her many experiments.
This is more for a AI tech curious person than a techie who’s likely aware of most of her topics.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I‘m glad she tried out all these things so that I don‘t have to.
Great book to be read exactly this year, and about the current state of technology.