Start here
Start here¶
Pick something you already know how to check: a summary of your notes, a draft reply, or a list of tasks from a meeting. Your first attempt should leave you with a useful draft and a clear view of how the AI got there.
These guides focus on agentic AI: AI that can use tools and carry a task through several steps. You can begin in a chat and add file or app access when the work calls for it.
Your first task¶
1. Pick one small job¶
Choose a task with a clear finish. For example:
- Summarize two pages of notes, keeping the names and dates intact.
- Draft a follow-up email from a meeting transcript. Leave missing details blank.
- Turn an article you wrote into three short posts, using only its claims.
Keep the first attempt away from your live inbox, customer records, and anything that would be costly to get wrong.
2. Pick your tool¶
A chat with no connected apps is enough for a draft from pasted text. A file upload works when the material is in a document. Use a folder agent when you want the AI to read several files and save its work. Choose your setup explains the differences.
3. Make a practice folder¶
For file work, create a folder with copies of a few non-sensitive files. Keep drafts in a separate output folder. Check the agent's access settings before you start; opening a folder does not automatically restrict everything it can reach.
4. Run it and watch¶
Describe the input, the output, and the boundaries. A request like “summarize these notes” is more useful when it also says where to save the summary and how to handle missing information.
Use the first agent walkthrough for a complete request you can copy.
5. Check the result¶
Compare the draft with the source. Look for missing points, invented details, and changes to names or numbers. If the agent edited files, open them and review the changes.
What a successful first run looks like¶
You have the output you requested, you can trace its facts to the input, and the agent stayed within the work you allowed. If something failed, keep the example. It gives you a specific thing to fix before trying a larger task.
Three rules worth keeping¶
- Practice on copies. Keep the originals somewhere the agent cannot edit.
- Review before sending or publishing. A finished draft still needs your approval.
- Save useful instructions. Keep the request that worked so you can adapt it next time.