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Help a dad who lost touch typing after a stroke write again with ChatGPT
WorkedEvidence: Described by posterPosted Last checked
After a 2014 stroke took Tom Barry's dad's typing, ChatGPT and voice dictation brought the 76-year-old back to writing and volunteering.
How to use this
- Tap Copy prompt.
- Open ChatGPT.
- Paste it into the message box.
- Send it, then read the answer before acting on it.
New to this? What's a prompt?
A prompt is the message you send to the AI tool. Copy the one on this page, put your own details where it asks, and read the answer before you act on it.
Prompt
Recreated prompt
The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote one from what it describes. The result shown is the source's, not ours.
The person didn't share their exact words, so we wrote this from what they described. We haven't tested it, and they didn't use this exact version.
I can't type well since my stroke, so I'm going to speak my thoughts using voice dictation. Turn what I say into a clear, warm email to my family in my own voice. Keep my meaning, don't add facts I didn't say, and read it back so I can check it before I send it.
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Sends the Recreated prompt shown above. ChatGPT and Grok open with it filled in, and ChatGPT may send it straight away. Gemini and Claude open empty, so we copy the prompt for you to paste. Every button also copies it.
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Optional stronger version
Our rewrite with extra checks. The poster didn't test it.
Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish. Goal: Turn what I say out loud into clear writing that still sounds like me. Questions to ask me first: - Who is this for and what's it about? - How formal should it sound? - Is there anything I usually say or sign off with? Inputs (fill in or confirm): - What I said: [DICTATED TEXT] - Who it's for: [PERSON OR GROUP] - Tone: [WARM / FORMAL / SHORT] - How I sign off: [SIGN-OFF] Rules: - Keep my meaning and words where you can; don't invent facts, names or dates. - Fix dictation mistakes, and ask me about any word you're unsure of. - Keep sentences short and easy to read aloud. - If I ask for facts or research, say where they came from so I can check them. Checkpoint: Read the draft back to me and wait for my OK before giving the final version. If you get stuck: If what I said is unclear, ask one simple question instead of guessing. Verify before you finish: List any part you changed or added so I can check it. Output: A ready-to-send email or message. Done when: The message says what I meant, in my voice, and I've checked it.
AI tool
Outcome
Tom Barry's father lost the ability to touch type after a stroke in 2014 and retired early because using a computer had become so hard. In 2024 the father asked Barry to spend a weekend teaching ChatGPT, including how to spot hallucinations and stay the human in the loop. Pairing ChatGPT with the iPhone's built-in voice dictation transformed the father's life: at 76 the father uses it for research, thinking through ideas and co-writing, is more active in volunteer and philanthropic work than two years earlier, and recently sent the family a personal email that was clearly written with AI but meant a lot to Barry.
Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.
Source
- Posted
- by Tom Barry (LinkedIn)
- Last checked
- Method:
- How we verify
Context: Told by the son, who taught the father to use ChatGPT; no prompt is quoted, so the prompt here is recreated.
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