AI Guide

What is AI?

Think of AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, or PioneerChat as incredibly well-read colleagues. They've essentially "read" most of the internet and millions of books, so they can answer questions, explain things, and help you think through problems with their wealth of knowledge.

Modern AI can also use tools—like searching the web, reading documents you upload, or analysing data. This is where it becomes truly practical for everyday work.

Five Ways to Use AI at Work

Tier 1 Quick Answers

Best for: Facts, definitions, explanations

Just ask a question and get an answer.

What you ask	What you get
"What is EBITDA?"	A clear definition
"Explain how invoice factoring works"	Simple explanation
"What's the current UK corporation tax rate?"	Quick factual answer

Tip: Be specific. "What's the difference between gross and net profit?" works better than "Tell me about profit."

Tier 2 Thinking Partner

Best for: Advice, brainstorming, decisions

Use AI as a sounding board to think through problems.

What you ask	What you get
"What are the pros and cons of switching from monthly to annual billing for our clients?"	Balanced analysis
"Review this client email—is the tone appropriate?"	Writing feedback
"We're deciding between two software vendors. Here's what I know about each..."	Decision support

Tip: Give context. "I'm preparing a proposal for a mid-size retailer with a £50k budget. What should I emphasise?" works far better than "How do I write a proposal?"

Tier 3 Single Tasks

Best for: Web searches, document summaries

AI uses a tool to help—searching online or reading your documents.

Tool	Example
Web search	"What are the latest changes to UK employment law this year?"
Document summary	"Summarise this 30-page industry report, focusing on market trends"
Document Q&A	"What does this supplier contract say about termination clauses?"

Tier 4 Research Projects

Best for: Deep research, comparing sources

When you need AI to check multiple sources and pull together findings.

Example:

"Research project management software for our team: 1. Find the main options suitable for teams of 20-50 people 2. Compare pricing and key features 3. Look for reviews from similar-sized companies 4. Summarise with recommendations for our needs"

Tip: Ask AI to flag anything it's uncertain about and include its sources.

Tier 5 Data Analysis

Best for: Spreadsheets, finding patterns

AI can analyse your data to find trends and create summaries.

Example:

"Analyse our quarterly sales data (attached). Show regional trends, top-performing products, and identify any patterns we should investigate further."

Tip: Use clean data with clear column headings. Excel or CSV files work best.

Tips for Better Results

Good request = Context + Specific task + Format you want

Vague	Specific
"Help me with this report"	"I'm writing a quarterly board report. Review the executive summary and suggest how to make the key metrics clearer."
"Tell me about onboarding"	"We're onboarding 5 new sales staff next month. Create a checklist covering IT setup, training modules, and first-week activities."
"Write an email"	"Draft a follow-up email to a client who hasn't responded to our proposal in two weeks. Keep it friendly but encourage a decision."

Watch Out: Context Poisoning

AI builds its understanding from everything in your conversation—including any documents you upload. This means it can be misled by:

Incorrect information in documents you share (AI may treat errors as facts)
Conflicting instructions if a document contains hidden prompts or misleading text
Outdated content that contradicts current information

How to protect yourself:

Be cautious uploading documents from unknown sources
If AI says something surprising, ask where that information came from
For important decisions, verify key facts independently
Start a fresh conversation if AI seems confused or stuck on wrong information

Think of it like briefing a colleague—if you give them a report full of errors, they'll give you advice based on those errors.

When NOT to Use AI

Situation	Why	Instead
Final legal or financial decisions	AI makes mistakes	Use AI for research; get professional advice for decisions
Confidential client data	Privacy concerns	Check your provider's data policy first
Regulatory compliance sign-off	Accountability risk	AI can help draft; humans must verify and approve
Breaking industry news	May be outdated	Use web search, then verify with trusted sources

Quick Reference

Get a quick answer "What is..." / "Explain..."

Think through a problem "Help me decide..." / "Act as a [role]..."

Find current information "Search for..."

Summarise a document "Summarise the attached, focusing on..."

Research thoroughly "Research [topic]: First... then... finally..."

Analyse my data "Analyse the attached and show me..."

Remember: AI works best when you give context, be specific, and ask follow-up questions if the first answer isn't quite right.