Ask for a brief to make AI answers shorter

This post will help you get clear, concise answers from AI tools. You will learn how to ask for a brief, not a long explanation. This approach helps you get the information you need quickly.

To make AI answers shorter, be clear about what you want. Instead of having a long conversation, think of your request as a brief. A brief gives the AI tool just enough information to do its job without extra details. This saves you time and helps you get to the point.

Why a brief matters

AI tools are designed to be helpful, but they can sometimes give very long answers if you do not guide them. If you just ask a general question, you might get a lot of information you do not need. By asking for a brief, you are telling the AI tool to focus on the essential facts. This is especially useful when you need to quickly understand a topic or get specific details without sifting through paragraphs of text. It helps you stay in control of the information you receive.

Prepare your brief

Before you type your request, take a moment to think about the shortest possible way to ask for what you need. What is the core information you are looking for? What is the purpose of the answer? For example, if you want to know about a new policy, do you need a full summary, or just the main changes? If you are researching a topic, do you need a broad overview, or specific points about one aspect? Thinking this through helps you frame your request clearly and concisely. This preparation is key to getting shorter answers.

How to ask for a brief

Start your request by telling the AI tool what kind of answer you want. Use words like "summarise," "explain briefly," or "give a short overview." Then, state your topic or question clearly. For example, instead of asking about the effects of climate change, you could ask the AI tool to summarise the main effects of climate change on coastal regions. This tells the AI tool to focus on a specific area and to provide a summary.

Refine your request for shorter answers

If the first answer is still too long, you can ask the AI tool to make the answer even shorter. You can also specify the format. For example, you could ask for bullet points or to explain something in one paragraph. You can also ask it to focus on a specific aspect, such as the impact on a specific type of business, or the benefits for a particular group of people. Refining your brief helps you get closer to the answer you need.

Check the result

Once you get an answer, read it carefully. Does it meet your needs? Is it brief enough? Does it contain only the information you asked for? If not, you can adjust your brief and ask again. For example, if you asked for a summary of a report and got a detailed analysis, you might rephrase your request to ask for a one-paragraph summary of the report's conclusions. This iterative process helps you get exactly what you need. It is about guiding the AI tool to your desired outcome.

Common problems and how to fix them

Sometimes, even with a brief, an AI tool might give you an answer that is too general or still too long. This often happens if your initial brief was not specific enough. To fix this, add more detail to your request. For example, if you asked for general healthy eating advice and got a very broad list, you could refine it to ask for practical tips for healthy eating for busy people. Adding constraints like the number of items or the target audience helps the AI tool narrow its focus. You can also link to related posts like Set your AI's rules once: Custom instructions to make AI accessible for more ways to guide your AI tool.

Keeping control

Remember, you are in charge of the conversation with the AI tool. By being clear and specific in your briefs, you maintain control over the information you receive. This approach makes AI tools more efficient and useful for your specific tasks. For more ideas on using AI effectively, see Using AI to log carer hours and keep a record of unpaid care and admin work.

Next steps

Practise asking for briefs with different AI tools and for various tasks. The more you practise, the better you will become at getting the concise answers you need.

If you would like support to build this skill, AI mentoring is aXai's program for people with disability who want to learn AI tools for their own goals, at their own pace. You can register your interest on the page.

aXai is a disability-led AI, software and accessibility company, delivering through AI-supported work: skilled people with disability in real, properly paid roles, with AI removing the barriers. Read how AI-supported work works.