AI chat basics in 10 minutes

Get to know the chat screen

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek and others look broadly alike: a list of chats on the side (in the menu on phones), the conversation in the middle, the message box at the bottom. The common controls are below; exact names and positions vary by app:

What a prompt is

OpenAI’s guide puts it simply: prompting is how you tell the AI what you want to know, make or change. A prompt can be a question, an instruction or a goal. You don’t need technical syntax or a rigid formula. Start in your own words, review the response, and use follow-up messages to shape the result.

A short prompt is often enough. For bigger or more important tasks, include the parts that would change the result. The two guides divide them up in broadly matching ways:

Both make the same point: use only the parts that help. You don’t need every item or a fixed format.

Step 1: Describe the result you need

Start with the result, not a list of steps. Include the audience or format when they change what should be produced.

Turn these meeting notes into a short update for the project team.
Put the decisions and next steps first.

This explains what to create and who will read it. Unless the process itself matters, leave the AI room to search, compare and adjust its approach.

Step 2: Add useful context

Share the information that could change the result. Add only the sources that matter, and say what to take from each.

• Attach files when you want it to summarise, compare or rework documents, spreadsheets or PDFs.
• Add a screenshot or photo when the task depends on what something looks like — and point out the part that matters rather than relying on the image alone.
• Turn on web search when the answer depends on current information, and ask for sources when you need to check.

(Attached: a photo of the lights on the back of my router)
The second light from the right keeps flashing red. What does that mean, and what should I check first?

Step 3: Set boundaries

Boundaries are the few instructions that prevent real problems — when changing the wrong detail would make the result unusable, or when you want to review something before it affects other people. OpenAI’s examples:

• Keep the approved dates and budget figures unchanged.
• Use only the supplied sources. Flag missing information instead of guessing.
• Keep recommendations within the stated budget.
• Prepare the message as a draft. Don’t send it.

Focus on the one or two that matter most. You don’t need to control every step.

Step 4: Say how you’ll use the result

Telling it how you’ll use the result helps it pick the right length, detail and organisation.

Make this a one-page summary a director can scan before the meeting.
Put the decision and next steps first.

For important work, ask for a final check — “confirm every action item has an owner and a due date”, “flag anything you couldn’t verify” — and then review it yourself before you use or share it.

Step 5: Improve the result with follow-ups

Your first prompt doesn’t need to be perfect. Review the answer, then ask for the specific change you want:

Make the opening more direct, keep the evidence, and move the recommendation above the background section.

You can add a missing source, correct the direction, ask for another option or change the level of detail without starting over. Start a new chat when you switch to an unrelated topic.

Putting it together

Here is a complete prompt with all four elements:

Plan five weekday dinners for two adults and a child with a peanut allergy. Each should take less than 30 minutes; avoid peanuts. Reuse ingredients across meals and finish with one consolidated shopping list.

Example prompts for common tasks

OpenAI groups everyday chat into four kinds of task. Two examples for each; replace the parts in brackets with your own.

Understand a topic

Explain how compound interest works for someone who has never invested. Use one concrete example and define any financial terms you introduce.

I start making reports in Excel next week and I'm a complete beginner. Tell me the 5 features to learn first, each with a work example.

Draft and refine writing

Draft a friendly email declining this invitation because I will be traveling. Keep it under 120 words and leave the door open for a future event.

Make this paragraph clearer without changing its meaning, then list what you changed: [paste text]

Compare options

Compare these two phone plans for one person who travels internationally twice a year. Show the important differences in a table, then recommend one and explain the tradeoff.

I'm choosing between two robot vacuums; we have a dog and wooden floors. First list the 5 questions I should compare them on.

Make a practical plan

Plan five weekday dinners that take less than 30 minutes. Avoid peanuts, reuse ingredients across meals, and finish with one consolidated shopping list.

I'm taking my parents, both in their 60s, to Edinburgh for two days. Not too much walking, budget £400. One place each morning and afternoon, then a table.

Adding images, files and voice

Before uploading, think: ID numbers, bank details, medical records and client data shouldn’t go into an AI casually. See Privacy and safety.

Check before you use it

Every vendor guide ends on the same point: a fluent answer is not necessarily a correct one. AI sometimes makes things up with a straight face (see How AI works). Before you use the result:

• Numbers, dates, names, quotes and links: check one or two yourself.
• Recent events: ask for sources and open them.
• Health, law and money: use it to prepare questions and background; let a professional decide.
• “I’ve sent / booked it”: confirm it actually happened.