What is artificial intelligence?

What is it for?

Artificial intelligence, often called AI, is a tool that can help you carry out certain tasks.

In particular, it can:

• answer a question;
• write a text;
• summarise a document;
• translate;
• explain a complicated subject;
• create an image;
• organise ideas;
• compare several solutions.

AI does not think like a person. It analyses your request and builds an answer from a very large number of examples it has learned to recognise.

A simple comparison

Imagine someone who has read an enormous library.

They have seen millions of letters, articles, recipes, descriptions and conversations. When you ask them a question, they use what they have learned to build an answer.

That is roughly how artificial intelligence works.

Is it a robot?

Not necessarily.

A robot is a physical machine. Artificial intelligence is more like a computer program.

It can run:

• on a phone;
• on a computer;
• inside a website;
• inside an app;
• inside some devices.

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok are artificial intelligences you can chat with in writing.

Suno creates music. Canva AI helps create posters and presentations. Perplexity helps you search for information.

How do you use an AI?

You write it a request.

This request is sometimes called a prompt. The word may sound complicated, but it simply means: the instruction you give the AI.

The AI then offers a text. You can then ask it:

• "Make it shorter."
• "Use simpler words."
• "Make the letter warmer."
• "Add a closing line."

Using AI is therefore a bit like a conversation.

An everyday example

You need to write to your landlord because a tap is leaking. You don't know how to begin.

The AI might offer:

You can then edit the text with your name, your address and the details of the leak.

What AI does well

Start a text

It helps when you don't know what to write.

Rephrase

It turns an overly complicated text into a simpler version.

Correct

It can spot mistakes or improve sentences.

Summarise

It pulls the main ideas out of a long text.

Give ideas

It can suggest titles, examples or solutions.

Organise

It can prepare an outline, a list or a schedule.

What AI does not always do well

Artificial intelligence may:

• make up a piece of information;
• use out-of-date information;
• misunderstand your question;
• forget an important detail;
• give an answer that is too general;
• present a mistake as if it were certain.

It does not know your situation unless you explain it.

It does not replace a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, an official adviser or a qualified professional.

Why didn't the AI understand?

This request is too vague. The AI doesn't know:

• who to write to;
• why to write;
• what tone to use;
• what length to choose.

The more detail you give, the more useful the answer.

The four pieces of information to give

1. What you want

For example: a letter, a summary, a list.

2. The situation

For example: a disputed bill, an appointment, an ad.

3. The person involved

For example: landlord, town hall, customer, doctor.

4. The tone

For example: simple, polite, warm, professional.

Common mistakes

Believing every answer

AI can be wrong.

Giving personal information

Do not share your passwords, your bank card number, your secret codes, confidential documents or very personal medical information.

Asking too vague a question

A precise request usually gives a better answer.

Using the text without re-reading it

Always check names, dates, amounts and important information.

One-minute summary