Key Takeaways
- Generative AI has general knowledge but lacks specifics about your unique situation. It is important to provide it with clear and detailed information to get accurate results.
- The more context you provide—such as images, brand names, or specific descriptions—the better the AI can assist you. For example, showing a photo of your TV or coffee maker allows AI to give tailored advice rather than generic responses.
- Generative AI is intelligent, but it is still learning about your world!
Generative AI, like ChatGPT, is an amazing tool that can help with all sorts of tasks—writing emails, solving problems, or even figuring out how to set up gadgets. But here’s the thing: people often think it knows more than it does because it sounds so smart. At the same time, they don’t realize how much information it needs to do a task right.
In this guide, we’ll walk through what generative AI is, why it needs lots of details (or context), and how you can help it help you. Think of it like teaching a new intern who’s eager to work but doesn’t know your world yet. Let’s get started!
What Is Generative AI?
Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create things—like text, answers, or plans—based on what you ask it. It’s like a super-smart virtual assistant. But even though it knows a ton about the world in general (like how coffee makers work or what a Nintendo Wii is), it doesn’t know your specific situation. It doesn’t know what your TV looks like, what coffee maker you own, or what you’re trying to do unless you tell it.
Imagine a new intern on their first day at your job. They’re bright and have lots of general knowledge, but they don’t know where your office printer is, how your computer system works, or what you like for lunch. Generative AI is the same—it needs you to fill in the blanks about your world.
Why Context Matters
When you ask generative AI to do something, it needs context—specific details about your situation—to get it right. Without enough information, it’s like asking that new intern to file a report without telling them where the filing cabinet is or what the report’s about. They might try their best, but they’ll probably mess up.
People often assume the AI already knows everything because it sounds confident. But it’s not a mind reader! It needs you to give it the full picture so it can give you useful answers instead of vague guesses.
Examples Of Providing Context
Let’s look at two everyday examples to see how giving the AI more details makes a big difference.
Example 1: Hooking Up A Nintendo Wii
Say your kid finds an old Nintendo Wii in the closet and wants to hook it up to the TV. You pull it out, but there’s no HDMI cable—just some colored cables you’re not sure about. Your TV is mounted on the wall, and you can feel a bunch of inputs behind it, but you don’t know which ones to use.
If you just ask the AI, “How do I connect my Wii to my TV?” it might give you general steps—like “plug the red, white, and yellow cables into the matching ports.” But that’s not helpful if you don’t know what ports your TV has! Instead, you take your phone, snap a picture of the back of your TV, and show it to the AI (using an app that accepts images, like ChatGPT’s). Now, the AI can “see” exactly what inputs you’ve got and tell you, “Plug the yellow cable into the video port labeled ‘AV1,’ and the red and white into the audio ports next to it.”
What worked: Giving the AI a photo gave it specific info about your TV. Without that, it’d just guess, and you’d be stuck.
Example 2: Using A Coffee Maker
Now imagine you’ve got a coffee maker, but you don’t know how to use it. If you ask the AI, “How do I use a coffee maker?” it might say something generic like, “Fill it with water, add coffee grounds, and press start.” But what if yours is a Keurig that uses pods instead of grounds?
To fix this, you take a picture of your coffee maker and share it with the AI. The photo shows it’s a Keurig with a pod slot and a power button. Now, the AI can say, “Plug it in, fill the water tank, pop a K-Cup in the slot, and press the brew button.” That’s way more helpful!
What worked: The photo told the AI the brand and design, so it could give you exact steps instead of a one-size-fits-all answer.
Keeping The AI Updated
Giving the AI context isn’t a one-time thing—it needs updates if something changes. Think of that intern again: if they’re working on a task and you change the plan without telling them, they’ll keep going the wrong way.
For example, let’s say you ask the AI to book a flight for your trip. While it’s figuring out options, your spouse books a different flight without you knowing. If you don’t tell the AI, it might book a second flight, and now you’ve got a mess! You have to update it: “Hey, my spouse already booked a flight, so cancel that plan.”
Or, going back to the coffee maker—if you follow the AI’s steps and it still doesn’t turn on, you need to say, “It’s plugged in, but nothing’s happening.” Then it can adjust and say, “Check the power switch or make sure the outlet works.”
How to keep it updated:
- Tell it if something changes (like a new flight or a broken machine).
- Give feedback if its advice isn’t working.
- Add new details as they come up.
Think Of AI Like A New Intern
Here’s a simple way to remember all this: treat generative AI like a new intern.
- They’re smart but clueless about you – They’ve got general skills but don’t know your setup or preferences.
- They need clear directions – Give them details—like photos, model names, or updates—so they can do the job right.
- They need to stay in the loop – Keep them informed about changes so they don’t mess up.
Just like you wouldn’t expect an intern to know your office layout or your coffee order on day one, don’t expect the AI to know your world without help.
Final Thoughts
Generative AI is awesome, but it needs you to give a lot of context—specific details about what you’re working with and what’s going on. Whether it’s a photo of your TV, the brand of your coffee maker, or an update about a change, the more you tell it, the better it can help. Think of it like training a new intern: the clearer your instructions and the more you keep them updated, the more they’ll shine.
Next time you use generative AI, ask yourself:
👉 Did I give it enough info about my situation?
👉 Does it need any updates to stay on track?
