Cheat sheet: working with AI

What a language model does

A language model predicts, word by word, what is most likely to come next. It does not look anything up. That is why an answer often sounds right even when it is not.

• A fluent answer is not evidence.
• Ask for the source. With a source an answer can be checked, without one it cannot.

A good instruction for the AI

Role

You work in customer service for a heating manufacturer.

Context

An installer asks whether spare part ET-4711 fits series B systems. The data sheet is attached.

Task

Write a reply to the customer.

Format

Five sentences at most, polite form, and at the end the page of the data sheet you rely on.

Example

This is how we usually reply: “Hello, according to the data sheet (p. 2) ET-4711 fits series B systems.”

If the answer does not fit, say what is missing instead of starting over: “shorter”, “no jargon”, “cite the source”.

Replace confidential details

Most tasks do not need names, addresses, account or invoice numbers. Replace them with placeholders before the text goes into an AI tool. The result does not get worse.

Please cancel invoice <invoice> for <customer>, <address> and refund the amount to <IBAN>.

A folder the AI works in

workspace/            Workspace
  IDENTITY.md         Map
  CONTEXT.md          Signpost
  _config/            Rules
  sort-enquiries/     One task
    CONTEXT.md        Instructions
    input/            Input
    result/           Result

• One task per run.
• The agent proposes, you decide.
• No passwords and no customer data in plain text.