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Brief an assistant to turn meeting notes into owned tasks

  • For Office and admin
  • You practice Keeping the AI to your sources
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

You want an AI assistant to turn meeting notes into tasks in your team tracker. Write its brief: create a task only when the notes name an owner, use the due date from the notes or "no date" (never invent one), put all unowned items into one ASK_HUMAN line, and never email anyone. Output exactly 5 numbered plain-text lines: the create_task lines in note order, the ASK_HUMAN line, then DONE.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not showing the log format. Left alone, the AI writes a friendly report with headings instead of a checkable action log. Try: Show it literally: "Format every line like 1. ACTION: tool(args), then ASK_HUMAN: and DONE: lines. Plain text."
  • Allowing invented dates. The AI gives every task a due date, even ones the notes don't have. Try: Add: "Use the due date from the notes, or 'no date'. Never invent one."
  • Letting it assign owners. The AI hands unowned items to whoever seems likely, like Omar for the photographer. Try: Add: "Only create tasks with a named owner. Put the rest in one ASK_HUMAN line."
  • Letting it email people. Given send_email, the AI emails each owner their task. Try: Add: "Never send email. End with DONE."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Requires a named owner
  • Rules out made-up data
  • Collects unowned items
  • Forbids emailing
  • Shows the action-log format

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