Common Questions
Answered for Indian professionals
I've tried ChatGPT before and didn't find it useful. What am I doing wrong?
Almost always: vague prompts. "Write an email" produces a generic result. "Write a 3-paragraph follow-up email to a client named Rohit at Infosys who attended our product demo on Friday but hasn't responded. I want to schedule a next call. Keep it concise and professional." produces something you can actually send. The more context and constraints you give, the better the output. Treat it like a very capable new hire who needs complete briefing, not a search engine that understands vague intent.
Is AI output safe to use for professional work? What about accuracy?
AI output is a first draft, not a final document. For factual claims, prices, dates, regulations, and specific data — verify before using. For tone, structure, and standard professional writing — use directly with light editing. The rule: AI does the scaffolding, you supply the specific facts and review the output. This is no different from using a junior associate or a template — you always review before signing or sending. Perplexity is the exception: it cites sources, so you can verify claims immediately from the same window.
I work in a regulated industry (banking, legal, healthcare). Can I use AI tools?
Yes, with appropriate boundaries. Don't send confidential client data, PAN numbers, Aadhaar, or sensitive patient information to cloud AI APIs. Use placeholders instead — "Client A," "the amount," "the patient" — and substitute real details in your final document. For team-wide use in regulated industries, Claude for Enterprise and ChatGPT Enterprise offer data processing agreements and ensure your inputs are not used for training. NotebookLM (Google's tool) has strong enterprise data protections. India's DPDP Act 2023 requires appropriate consent and data minimisation — AI tools used this way are compliant.
What is a realistic starting stack that costs nothing?
Four tools, zero cost: (1) Perplexity AI as your default search — free, no credit card. (2) Claude or ChatGPT for all writing and analysis — free tiers are substantial. (3) Otter.ai free tier (300 min/month) for meeting notes. (4) Make.com free tier (1,000 ops/month) to automate one repetitive task. Install all four this week and commit to using them for 10 working days. The habit forms faster than you expect, and the time saving compounds daily.