The best first question to ask an AI (and why most people get it wrong)
When people first sit down with an AI tool, the most common thing they type is something like: “What can you do?” or “Hello.” That’s a fine place to start, although it tends to produce a rather general reply, a long list of capabilities.
The better approach: start with something real
The single most effective way to get value from AI straight away is to bring it a real problem, something you’re actually trying to do. A real, specific task.
For example, instead of asking “What can you do?”, try something like: “I need to write a polite letter to my landlord asking them to fix the boiler. Can you help me write it?”
Immediately, you’ll see something useful happen. AI will ask you a question or two, produce a draft and show you, in a concrete and personal way, what it can actually do.
Why this works better
AI is at its best when it has something specific to work with. The more context you give it (the situation, the tone you want, who it’s for) the better the result will be. A real task gives it all of that naturally.
A simple rule to remember
Think of AI like a very capable assistant who is brand new to the job. They’re eager to help and can do almost anything. They just need you to tell them what’s needed. The more clearly you describe the task, the better the result.
A good assistant gives you a strong first draft and you give it the final once-over. For letters, plans and explanations, that means a quick read through. For facts you’ll rely on, such as prices, dates or anything official, it’s the same quick check you’d give anything you found on Google.
Want help turning your task into a well-worded question? My free Build a Great AI Prompt tool asks you a few simple questions and writes the prompt for you.
What’s next
If the first answer isn’t quite what you wanted, don’t give up. My next post, How to get AI to teach you, shows you how to steer it one step at a time.
A note on dates. Everything here was checked when it was written and I go back over my posts regularly to keep them up to date. Apps, prices and rules do change, so for anything important a quick look at the official source is worth it.
Want to try this for yourself?
Getting the most from AI is something Kevin can walk you through properly at one of his workshops or in a follow-up session after a free library talk. If you’d like to give it a go, just ask Kevin to show you.
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