No one enjoys a rude awakening. Barking dogs and the shrill beep of a trash truck backing up bright and early can ruin even the sunniest of dispositions. Some of us plain can’t stand getting up in the morning, and this generalized distaste for the daybreak routine leads to lingering in bed far longer than our busy lives might safely allow. 

Whether you’re one of those sensitive souls who need a lot of support getting your motor running when you first wake, or an early bird who rises and naturally shines, you can use AI systems to optimize your mornings. 

I’m stretching the perception of the tools by adding a little quirk to the queries and roleplaying as someone who has a lot to lose if they’re feeling groggy and who often wakes up in unfamiliar locales, a la Lara Croft.

Whether you’re raiding tombs or writing emails all day, here’s how you can use AI to optimize your mornings.

The right side of the bed

Having a better morning means launching into the day from a better starting point. AI systems like Google’s Gemini AI can help you discover everything you need to create a serene or energizing experience in the sheets before you hit the showers and see what fresh hell awaits you in the jungle, concrete or otherwise. 

I tested Gemini AI using a set of very specific, persnickety parameters to see how well it could manage a poor sleeper on a particularly important morning, and what kind of recommendations it might make for everything from weighted blankets and pillows to pistol holsters and sleep masks. To its credit (though it was weird), Gemini didn’t question why I sleep with a pistol under my pillow, simply telling me that this could misalign my spine. 

Here’s what else it advised:

More than routine hygiene

Wake up, drink water, brush teeth, shower, rinse and repeat. That’s the usual routine for someone with a normal 9-to-5, and no one needs an AI tool to tell them how to wash their hair. But what about those of us who regularly wake up under extraordinary circumstances and need a little extra something to get the day started?

Gemini AI was able to take my specific needs into account as a daring adventurer dashing away from rolling boulders and backflipping through ancient tombs. It kept the routine minimal but made specific recommendations around what it assumed was a fast-paced, unpredictable lifestyle in which grit removal and holster chafing play a big role.

Setting the tone

Croft Manor isn’t a particularly warm place to begin with, so setting the mood amid a bed chamber covered in family crests and reminders of dank dungeons past is key. A company called Lepro has launched AI-enabled smart lamps and bulbs that use voice recognition to adjust your lighting scheme at will or on various timers based on a desired vibe — this might make your mornings easier, according to Gemini.

I also asked Gemini if it could generate a few motivational images that a tomb, or corporate, raider might find useful when they’re facing a long day of dealing with wolves, snakes and cultists, in or out of the boardroom. (Obviously, you can ask it to make your own personalized image that might inspire you to get up and going in the mornings.)

The point of giving AI tools such finicky demands for optimizing my day was to see if it could provide helpful, legitimate advice for anyone with specific needs. It’s also a friendly little reminder that no matter how ridiculous your requests are, AI tools will try to appease you.

While AI still fails at a lot of things, getting it to assist with ideas is where it still shines.