AI assistant
An AI assistant is a general-purpose chatbot or built-in helper that drafts, summarises, explains, plans and answers questions. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Le Chat are the best-known; many apps now include one.
In one line, for a 12-year-old
An AI assistant is a helper app that can explain things, help you write and answer questions.
An example
Pasting a long letter from your landlord and asking, "What is this asking me to do, and by when?"
Why it matters to people
Assistants are most useful as a first draft and a second opinion, not the final word on health, money or legal matters.