How to use AI to summarise a letter and know what to do next

This post will help you use an AI tool to understand long letters. You will learn how to get a summary, a list of tasks, and who needs to do them by when. The original letter will always be there for you to check.

Why use AI to summarise a letter?

Long letters can be hard to read and understand. They might have a lot of information, legal terms, or details that are not clear. This can make it difficult to know what you need to do. An AI tool can help you quickly get the main points. It can save you time and help you feel more confident about what the letter is asking.

What to prepare before you start

Before you ask an AI tool to summarise a letter, make sure you have the letter ready. It can be a digital document, like a PDF or a text file. If you have a paper letter, you might need to scan it or take a clear photo of each page. The clearer the text, the better the AI will be able to read it. Make sure you have access to an AI tool that can read documents or text you provide.

How to get a summary and tasks

First, open your AI tool. Then, you will need to give the letter to the AI. You can often copy and paste the text directly into the AI tool. If it's a file, you might be able to upload it. Once the letter is in the AI tool, you can ask it to do specific things. For example, you can ask it to summarise the letter for you. You can also ask it to list all the things the letter asks you to do. You can ask it to tell you who needs to do each task and by when.

Checking the AI's summary and tasks

After the AI gives you a summary and a list of tasks, it is important to check its work. Read the summary and compare it to the original letter. Does it capture the main points correctly? Look at the list of tasks. Does it include everything that the letter asks? Are the people and completion times correct? The AI is a tool to help you, but you are in charge of making sure the information is right. Always refer back to the original letter to confirm details.

Common problems and how to fix them

Sometimes, an AI might miss a detail or misunderstand a word. If the summary seems wrong, or a task is missing, you can ask the AI to try again. You can also give it more specific instructions. For example, you might ask the AI to check a specific section for any deadlines. Or you might ask if it found any tasks for you to complete by a certain time. If the letter has poor quality text, the AI might struggle to read it. Try to get a clearer scan or retype the difficult parts yourself.

Keeping control of your information

When you use AI to summarise a letter, you are still in control. The AI does not make decisions for you. It only helps you understand the information. The original letter is always available for you to read and check. You decide what to do with the information the AI provides. You can use the AI's output as a starting point for your own planning.

Who needs to do what, and by when?

One of the most helpful things an AI can do is to pull out the key actions. You can ask the AI to create a list that shows: what needs to be done, who is responsible for doing it, and when it needs to be completed. This can help you plan your next steps. For example, if a letter asks you to reply by a certain time, the AI can highlight that. If it asks you to provide documents, it can list what documents are needed.

Next steps for your task

Once you have a clear summary and task list from the AI, you can decide what to do next. You might want to reply to the letter, gather more information, or talk to someone about the tasks. Remember, the AI is a tool to help you understand, not to make decisions for you. You are always the one in control of your actions.

AI mentoring is an aXai program for people with disability, where you learn to use AI tools for your own tasks at your own pace. You can register your interest now.

If you would like support to build this skill for your own goal, AI mentoring is an upcoming aXai program for people with disability, where you learn to use AI tools for your own tasks at your own pace; you can register your interest now.

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.