Use AI to summarize something long

AI is good at turning a wall of text into a few short points. It can also miss things, so ask for the key dates and numbers and check them against the original.

Long email threads, school newsletters, articles, and official letters take time to read. An AI chat can pull out the main points, what you need to do, and by when. It works best when you tell it what you're looking for, and when you check anything important yourself.

Paste the text and say what you need

Copy the text into the chat, or upload the file if your AI app allows it. Then say who you are and what you want to get out of it.

Example: "Here's a long email thread from my kid's school. Summarize it in 5 short bullet points. Then list anything I need to do, with the date it's due. If something isn't clear, say so instead of guessing."

Ask for the things people miss

Ask AI to list every date, dollar amount, and deadline it found, word for word. That makes it easy to check those parts against the original, which is where mistakes matter most.

Ask follow-up questions

Not sure what a part means? Ask "What does this paragraph mean in plain words?" or "Is there anything here I need to reply to?" You can keep asking until it makes sense.

Things to know

• AI can leave things out or get a detail wrong. For anything about money, health, or legal matters, check the original and ask a real person if it matters.
• Leave out private details you don't need, like account numbers or someone else's personal information.
• Very long files may need to be pasted in parts. Ask for a summary of each part, then one summary of them all.
• Trying to read a confusing bill? See our guide to understanding a medical bill. Want better answers in general? See how to write a good prompt.

Also read: Use AI to understand a medical bill

Also read: How to write a good AI prompt