What It Is: This pathway is about asking factual questions with clear, well-documented answers. It’s where you’re confident that the information you seek is widely accepted and understood.

Examples:

• “What are the basic principles of Newton’s laws of motion?”

• “Who was the first president of the United States?”

• “What is the formula for calculating compound interest?”

How to Approach It:

• Direct and Concise: Be straightforward in your prompts, as the AI can easily provide factual answers.
• Low Risk: Since the knowledge is well-known, there’s little chance of misinformation. You can generally trust the AI’s response but always verify if it’s important.

What It Is: This pathway involves seeking answers to topics that are uncertain to you personally. In these cases, other people may have written extensively about the topic, or there might be very little information available. It’s about filling gaps in your own understanding by diving into areas that are new or unfamiliar to you, even if they might be well-known to others.

Examples:

• “What might cause some birds to abandon their nests?”
• “How do emerging technologies influence modern architecture?”
• “What are the effects of meditation on cognitive function?”

How to Approach It:

• Curiosity with Skepticism: Use the AI’s responses as starting points for deeper research. Understand that while the AI’s answers might be insightful, they could also be speculative, so it’s important to follow up with further exploration.
• Moderate Risk: Since you’re not fully certain about the topic, take extra steps to validate what you learn and consult other sources if needed. For example, if you’re trying to find the date of a concert happening next week, the AI may not have the latest information since it’s limited by its training data. This type of inquiry falls into the realm of Lesser-Known Knowledge, where up-to-date details might only be found through specific, real-time sources like websites.

What It Is: This pathway focuses on creating content where you are the authority on the subject. It involves guiding the AI to generate material that aligns with your vision—like drafting reports, articles, creative pieces, or instructional guides.

Examples:

• Writing an in-depth article on a subject you’re passionate about.
• Developing training material for a new software tool.
• Drafting a proposal or email that communicates a clear strategy.

How to Approach It:

• Comprehensive Input: The more context you provide, the better the AI can shape its response. You can give detailed instructions, share relevant documents, and even have a back-and-forth conversation to refine the content.
• Low Risk: Since you’re steering the content and are the judge of its quality, there’s little risk of error. You’re in control of whether the result meets your standards.

What It Is: This pathway is about using AI as a companion for guidance, inspiration, or problem-solving in areas where facts might not be enough. It’s for when you’re seeking to reflect, cope with challenges, or explore new ways of thinking.

Examples:

• Getting advice on how to handle a difficult conversation at work.
• Exploring strategies to reduce stress or improve work-life balance.
• Reflecting on ways to approach a project that feels overwhelming.

How to Approach It:

• Iterative and Open-Minded: Treat the AI like a thought partner, asking follow-up questions and exploring multiple angles. Use its responses to spark new ideas or to see things from different perspectives.
• High Value: The goal isn’t always to find a ‘right’ answer but rather to engage in a process of discovery that helps you grow, cope, or gain clarity.