Learning how to use AI starts with giving it a job: write a message, explain a concept or organise some notes. Tell it what you need, provide the relevant details, then check the response before using it.
This guide focuses on chat-based AI assistants, such as Microsoft Copilot. The examples below are complete requests you can try, then adapt to your own tasks.
Start with a short message
Open your chosen assistant's official website or app, sign in if required, and find the chat box. Type your request and send it. That request is called a prompt.
Try this:
Write a polite email to a print shop. I need 30 A4 colour posters printed by Friday afternoon. Ask whether they can do this, what it would cost and which file format they need. Keep the email under 90 words. Don't add a budget or say I've already placed an order.
Read the reply. Does it include the quantity, deadline and all three questions? Has it added anything you didn't ask for?
If the wording feels too formal, reply:
Make this sound more natural. Use short sentences and remove any unnecessary introduction. Keep all the practical details.
Once you're happy with it, copy the message into your email and check the recipient before sending.
You've now practised the basic process: give instructions, review the result and ask for a specific change.
How to write AI prompts that get to the point
A prompt needs enough information to explain the job. Microsoft's prompting guidance (opens in a new tab) suggests including your goal, context, source material and expectations.
Here's what that looks like in everyday language:
| Include | What to tell the AI |
|---|---|
| The task | Write an email, explain an idea, compare options or organise notes. |
| Relevant details | Who it's for, what happened, what you already know and any limits. |
| Material to use | The notes, passage or other information the answer should be based on. |
| The finished format | A short paragraph, checklist, table or explanation with an example. |
For the print-shop email, the deadline and quantity matter. Your entire history of organising events probably doesn't.
Include details that change the answer. For a simple definition, one clear question may be enough. For a weekly schedule, include your available time and fixed commitments.
If you're unsure what information to provide, ask:
Before suggesting a plan, ask me the three questions you most need answered.
How to use AI for work
Start with a task whose details you already understand, such as turning rough notes into an action list. Use your organisation's approved tool and follow its rules about sharing work information.
Here's a practice example:
Organise these event-planning notes into a table with columns for task, person responsible and deadline. Amina will send the menu on Wednesday. Bilal will confirm the headcount on Thursday. We still need to arrange chairs, but nobody has taken that task. Write “not assigned” or “not agreed” wherever the notes don't give a person or deadline. Don't fill in missing details yourself.
The useful result is a table you can check against the original notes.
Look closely at the chairs task. It should have no invented owner or deadline. If the AI has assigned it to someone, correct that before sharing the list.
You can apply the same approach to meeting agendas, handover notes and project updates: supply the information, specify the format and check what changed.
How to use AI for studying
Ask for help with the part you don't understand. For example:
I'm learning fractions and don't understand why one-third is larger than one-quarter. Explain it using equal-sized pizzas. Then give me one similar question to answer. Wait for my answer before explaining the solution.
After reading the explanation, try answering without looking back. If you get stuck, ask for a hint or a different example.
For a school or university topic, compare the explanation with your course materials. Check your institution's AI rules before using it for assessed work.
If you're learning a practical skill, make the request equally specific:
I want to practise writing clear work emails. Give me one fictional situation that needs a short reply. Let me write it first, then comment on whether the message is clear, polite and complete.
How to use AI in daily life
Choose a task with clear limits, such as fitting a few chores into the time you have.
Try this:
I have 45 minutes this evening. I need to wash dishes, pack tomorrow's lunch, put away clean clothes and choose an outfit for tomorrow. Suggest an order and a rough time allowance for each task. Leave five minutes spare. If everything won't fit, tell me what to leave for another day.
Check whether the estimates fit your home. If putting away clothes takes you 20 minutes, say so and ask for a revised plan.
For meal ideas, include the ingredients you have, how many people you're feeding and your cooking time. For a packing list, include the trip length, planned activities and luggage limit.
Keep requests specific enough that you can judge the answer. “Help me organise my life” leaves far more unanswered than “Help me plan these four tasks.”
What to do when the answer isn't useful
Tell the AI exactly what needs changing. These follow-up prompts give you somewhere to start:
| What's wrong | What to ask next |
|---|---|
| The answer is too long | “Keep only the three points I need to act on.” |
| The explanation is confusing | “Explain the unfamiliar terms and show one worked example.” |
| It ignored a limit | “Revise the plan so everything fits within 45 minutes, including the break.” |
| It added unsupported details | “Use only the information I supplied. Mark anything missing as unknown.” |
| The wording doesn't sound like you | “Use everyday words and shorter sentences. Keep the meaning.” |
If you've changed the task completely, start a fresh chat and include the relevant information again.
Check facts before using the answer
Harvard's AI guidance (opens in a new tab) warns that generated answers can be inaccurate, misinterpret material or include citations that don't support the response.
Check the source itself, especially when the answer will affect a decision.
- Names, dates and quotations: compare them with the original document or official page.
- Numbers: check important calculations with a calculator or spreadsheet.
- Current information: verify prices, opening hours, rules and deadlines with the organisation responsible.
- Summaries: check that important conditions or exceptions survived.
For research, request links to original studies, official documentation or recognised institutions. Open those links and find the passage that supports the claim. Asking the AI “Are you sure?” isn't a substitute for that check.
For medical, legal or major financial decisions, get advice from a qualified professional.
Keep private information out of practice chats
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre recommends keeping sensitive information out of public AI prompts (opens in a new tab) and understanding the service's privacy terms.
Use fictional details while practising. Leave out passwords, account numbers, private health records and confidential work documents.
Before uploading a file, check its contents and whether you're allowed to share it. Replacing someone's name alone doesn't remove every identifying detail.
For workplace tasks involving sensitive material, confirm which tool and data use your organisation permits.
Keep the prompts you actually use
After completing a useful task, save the request and any follow-up that improved the answer. Give it a clear name, such as “print enquiry” or “meeting action list”.
Next time, update the facts and check the new response. Keep using a prompt if it helps you finish the task with less effort overall, including the time you spend reviewing it.
