So, picture this: I’m sitting at my desk, all excited to create a Copilot Agent. I’m thinking, “This is going to be a breeze!” But boy oh boy, was I in for a surprise. Turns out, the language and level of detail needed to get the results I want is NOT my natural way of communicating. Who knew, right?
I mean, I usually assume that the person (or in this case, the Agent) I’m talking to has the same understanding as I do. Fun fact: Copilot can’t read my mind! Shocking, I know.
The Realization:
As I dove into creating new topics and using the Edit with Copilot function, it hit me like a truck. I am not descriptive enough with what I’m asking it to do. I mean, I thought I was being clear, but nope! Copilot takes my information very literally or makes assumptions of its own. It’s like trying to explain a joke to someone who wasn’t there – you need all the details!
My Fun Not Real-Life Example:
Pretend me said: “go make a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich”
The result: I was given one piece of stale wheat bread with crunchy peanut butter and grape jelly, folded in half on a paper plate.
This is not at all what I was expecting, and it is not what I wanted. I did not specify EXACTLY what I wanted. I did not specify how much or what kind of bread. I did not specify what kind of peanut butter or what kind of jelly. To get the results that I expect, I need to convey my detailed expectations.
What pretend me should have said: “Create a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich, use two pieces of sourdough bread, put strawberry preserves on one piece of bread. Put a light amount of creamy peanut butter on the other slice of bread. Put the sandwich together by putting the peanut butter side of the bread on top of the jelly side of the bread. Cut the sandwich in half with a clean knife and place it on a white round porcelain plate.”
The Takeaway:
Here’s the kicker – I believe this is normal for a lot of people. We often assume that others have the same context and understanding as we do. But when it comes to working with AI, we need to spell things out. Every. Single. Time.
So, my dear friends, if you’re venturing into the world of Copilot Agents, remember this: Be descriptive. Be clear. And don’t assume your Agent can read your mind. Trust me, it’ll save you a lot of head-scratching moments.
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