A fluent answer can still contain a mistake. Use AI to prepare your work, then review and verify before acting or publishing.
UNDERSTAND IT VISUALLY
One request. Complementary roles.
Choose an example, then select an element in the diagram to understand its role. A clear request is often enough; methods and connections are added when needed.
“Plan a family weekend that suits our budget and the children’s ages.”
An assistant can also act as an agent.
When needed, it can draw on…
You check dates and prices, then decide before making any booking.
Illustrated example · no connection to your accounts.
AI assistant
Your point of contact.
You talk to it to ask a question, understand a topic or prepare content. It also helps you clarify what you want to achieve.
In this example
It asks for dates, budget, interests and constraints. It restates your needs before proposing an answer.
An assistant can also use tools or act as an agent. These roles can work together.
Agent
The task coordinator.
It can break a goal into steps, choose from authorised tools and adapt what happens next based on the results.
In this example
It can compare activities, check the available information and adjust the programme based on your feedback.
You define its goal, its access and when it must ask for your approval. Its results still need checking.
Skill
A reusable method.
Like a task guide: a Skill brings together instructions, templates and resources, sometimes scripts, to guide the AI through a specific task.
In this example
A method keeps track of your criteria: budget, travel times, the children’s ages and breaks. You can reuse it for another trip.
A Skill guides how the work is done. It does not retrain the model or guarantee correct results.
MCP
The connection to tools.
MCP, or Model Context Protocol, is a standard that lets a compatible AI application communicate with tools or data sources: documents, a calendar, calculations…
In this example
If the application supports it, an authorised MCP connection can access your calendar to find free dates.
MCP defines how to communicate. Access, permissions and confirmations depend on the application and its configuration.
A programme to review, with options and details to check.
Available features depend on the application and the access granted. Skills and MCP are optional. These examples include human approval before booking or sharing a document.
For the curious: technical references
1. Choose a small task
Start with something easy to check: rephrasing an email, turning your own notes into an action list or preparing questions for a meeting. It is easier to judge the result on a topic you know.
2. Give context, a goal and a format
Explain who the result is for, what you want to achieve and the desired format. Ask the tool to ask questions rather than fill in missing information for you.
I want to [goal] for [audience]. Here is the non-confidential context: [context]. Ask useful questions before answering. Then suggest [desired format]. State your assumptions and the points I should check.
3. Keep sensitive data out
Use an invented or anonymised example while learning. Avoid passwords, client data and confidential documents. Read the tool's settings and terms before sharing personal or professional information.
4. Check anything with consequences
Check names, dates, calculations, references and facts. Open the cited sources: a reference may be wrong or may not support the answer. For an important decision, return to a reliable source or a qualified person.
You can ask for a checklist of points to verify, but that checklist is itself something to review.
5. Improve gradually
Explain what is missing: too long, too vague, the wrong tone or an incorrect assumption. Prefer a short, precise exchange to a request that mixes many objectives.
Keep the templates that help you and adapt them to each situation. The aim of an introduction is to build your independence, not make you dependent on a tool.
Before using the result
- Have I provided enough context?
- Have I avoided sharing sensitive information?
- Have I checked the necessary facts and sources?
- Does the result match my intention?
To explore further
Safeonweb — Using AI responsibly (in French) ↗A Belgian reference resource. Sterk IT guide prepared on 27 October 2026.
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