The Best AI Tip: Use AI to Ask Better Questions (Not Just to Get Answers)

In an era where AI is becoming increasingly accessible, most people use it to understand information faster. Think of summarizing documents, analyzing reports, or interpreting complex legal texts. But there is one application of AI that is often overlooked, despite being incredibly powerful:

Use AI to ask better questions, not just to get answers.

AI as a sparring partner in practice

An example from my own life: we recently bought a new house. This involved many matters where I am not an expert-mortgage proposals, notary documents, renovation contracts, permits. Every detail counts. Every mistake can be costly.

Fortunately, I had my AI assistant (in this case: ChatGPT with the o1 reasoning model) ready. And instead of using it just to “quickly” summarize documents, I went a step further:

🔍 I had the AI help me formulate the right questions.
Questions that I could then put to the notary, mortgage advisor, or contractor. Questions that ensured I:

• better understood my situation,
• did not miss crucial information,
• and was taken more seriously by the professional on the other side.

Why asking questions is so powerful

Asking targeted questions forces you to think about the content. It helps you to:

• actively reflect on what you read,
• identify pitfalls or ambiguities,
• and appear professional and prepared in conversations.

In short: AI transforms from a passive source of information into an active sparring partner.

Translation to the business context

This approach works not only privately but also professionally. Suppose you receive a:

• proposal from a supplier,
• draft contract from a client,
• policy document from management.

Do not just use AI to understand the document, but ask:
💬 “What questions should I be asking about this?”
The answers are often exactly what you need to negotiate smarter, make better decisions, or mitigate risks.

Conclusion: Smart questions make the difference

AI is not a replacement for your judgment-it is an extension of it. And the better you know how to ask the right questions, the more valuable the use of AI becomes.

So the next time you open ChatGPT, don’t just ask a question about the document you’re reading, but also ask:
👉 “What questions should I ask an expert about this?”

You will be surprised how much further it takes you.

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// About the author

Job van den Berg

Mede-oprichter, AI Keynote Spreker & Techondernemer

Tech-ondernemer (1989) met een achtergrond als socioloog (Research Master (MSc) in statistiek en sociologie) en een van de meest gevraagde keynote sprekers over AI en data in Nederland. Als mede-oprichter van Ai.nl, The Automation Group en Proxies leidt hij engineers die agentic AI van prototype naar productie brengen binnen enterprises. Op het podium vertaalt Job die hands-on praktijk naar concrete strategieën. Eerder was Job Chief Data bij o.a. DPG Media en Kantar. Hij is co-auteur van 5 boeken over AI waaronder 'AI Agents' en 'Handboek AI Strategie' en een veelgevraagd expert in de landelijke media.

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