Compare options with AI, then decide for yourself

You have a choice to make: two classes, two offers or two ways to approach a task. An AI assistant might respond, “Choose A,” with a convincing explanation. It does not know everything that matters to you, and it does not live with the consequences. Start by asking for the differences, not a decision. Then add what you know about your situation and choose for yourself.

Ask for options before a recommendation

A ready-made recommendation is easy to accept without checking its assumptions. Comparing differences and asking one useful follow-up question gives you something specific to evaluate, while keeping your priorities in view.

I'm considering two fictional evening classes this autumn. Yoga meets on Monday evenings and costs €90 for ten sessions. Pottery meets on Wednesday evenings and costs €120 for eight sessions. List three differences between the classes, using only this information. Then ask me one question that would help me choose. Do not recommend either class yet. If you need facts I have not supplied, mark them as unknown.

Make a decision in five steps

1. 1

   Name the decision and your priorities

   Write down the two choices. Identify one or two factors that matter to you, such as money, scheduling or how long the commitment will last. You will tell the assistant about them in step three.

2. 2

   Ask for differences and one question

   Request a short comparison and one clarifying question that might influence the choice. Do not ask for a direct recommendation yet.

3. 3

   Add what the assistant does not know

   Answer the question and supply one missing detail about your own priorities or constraints. Use fictional details while practising.

4. 4

   Ask for reasons, if you want a suggestion

   A suggestion can be useful once your priorities are in the conversation. Ask what facts it uses, what argues against it and what information could change it.

5. 5

   Decide and state your own reasons

   Write your choice and its reasons in your own words. Separate your priorities from any calculations or suggestions the assistant supplied.

Example: two autumn classes

Suppose the assistant lists three differences and asks which factor matters most. You can answer without requesting a final recommendation.

My most important priority is avoiding a long commitment, because this is already a busy autumn. Do not recommend either class yet. Instead, explain which class is more consistent with that priority, using the information I gave you. Make any assumptions explicit.

A possible response is: “If the classes meet weekly, yoga requires ten weekly attendances while pottery requires eight. Pottery would mean two fewer visits. It costs €15 per session, compared with €9 for yoga.” This comparison is conditional: the original description did not confirm that either class meets every week, or how long the full schedule lasts.

• My decision: I will choose pottery.
• My reason: with a busy autumn, eight sessions feels more manageable than ten.
• What the assistant calculated: the price per session. I am willing to pay more for the potentially shorter commitment.
• What I must verify before registering: whether the classes are weekly, because the example response assumed that schedule.

When a recommendation can help

Asking for a recommendation is not inherently wrong. Once the options and your own priorities are on the screen, use this prompt in the same conversation to make the reasoning visible.

I have explained what matters to me in this choice. Recommend one of the options only on the information provided. Say which facts and stated priorities support it, what argues against it, and what additional fact could change it. Clearly label any assumption.

Common pitfalls

• Accepting the first confident answer. If the assistant begins with “You should choose,” ask for the differences and one clarifying question first.
• Leaving out what matters to you. Without your schedule, budget or preference, a comparison can be generic. Add one relevant detail at a time, not sensitive personal records.
• Treating an assumption as a fact. If the decision depends on a price, a schedule, eligibility or a rule, verify that detail with the original provider rather than relying on the assistant's confident wording.

I am deciding between a used and a new bike. My budget is €400, and I would mainly use it for commuting. List three factors that might affect my choice in this situation and ask one clarifying question. Do not recommend either option yet, and mark unknown details as unknown.

How to know the decision is yours

• You asked for options or differences before accepting a recommendation.
• You added at least one important fact or preference the assistant did not know.
• You can explain the choice and your reasons in your own words.
• You can identify what was your judgment and what came from the assistant's comparison.