Getting started with Cohere: a beginner's guide

Sign up and access the chat area

Your first step is to get logged in and find Cohere’s main interaction area. Cohere offers a simple online space where you can type instructions to an AI (Artificial Intelligence) and it will type back, much like a chat conversation.

1. Go to Cohere's website in your web browser.
2. Look for a button like "Sign Up" or "Get Started" to create your free account, or "Log In" if you already have one. You’ll be asked to provide an email and create a password, then confirm your email address.
3. After logging in, you'll land on your Cohere dashboard. Look for a main section or button that says something like "Chat," "Playground," or "Start writing," which will lead you to the text input area.
   • If it looks different: If you don't immediately see a "Chat" button, browse the menu items on the left or top of the screen for sections labelled "Playground" or "Explore." These are common names for where you can interact directly with the AI.
   • You'll know it worked when you see a large, empty text box on the screen, usually at the bottom or centre, ready for you to type your instructions.

Send your first instruction (a "prompt")

Now you're ready to "talk" to the AI. The instruction you give the AI is called a prompt – think of it like telling a helpful assistant exactly what you need. The AI understands everyday language, so you can ask it anything you'd normally ask a colleague.

1. In the large text box you found in Step 1, type your instruction.
2. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard, or click a "Send" button or arrow icon next to the text box.
   • What you see: Your typed prompt will appear in the chat history, and then you'll see a small indicator (like dots or a spinning icon) showing the AI is thinking.
   • What happens next: The AI will process your instruction and start typing its response directly into the chat window.
   • If it looks different: If the AI doesn't reply, check if you pressed "Enter" or the "Send" button. Sometimes there's a small delay, so wait a few seconds. If it still doesn't reply, try a simpler prompt.

Write a short welcome email for new customers. Keep it friendly and under 100 words.

    *   **You'll know it worked when** the AI's response text starts appearing in the chat area above your prompt.

Refine the AI's answer with follow-up instructions

The AI provides a great starting point, but you can always guide it further to match your specific needs, like your business's tone of voice. This is possible because the AI remembers your previous conversation, letting you build on its last reply.

1. Read the AI's response. If it's not quite right, you can ask for changes in the same chat box.
2. Type a new instruction that refers to the AI's previous answer. For instance, you could ask it to shorten the text or change its style.
3. Press "Enter" or click the "Send" button.
   • What you see: Your follow-up instruction will appear below the AI's previous response, and then the AI will begin generating a revised version.
   • What happens next: The AI will take your feedback and produce an updated email draft, incorporating your new instructions while still considering the original request.
   • If it looks different: If the AI seems to ignore the previous messages and gives a completely new answer, you might need to be more explicit. For example, say "Based on your last email, please make it..."

Make it shorter, about 60 words, and use a warmer, more personal tone.

    *   **You'll know it worked when** the AI generates a new, modified version of the email that reflects your latest instructions.

Copy your work for use in other applications

Once you're happy with the AI's draft, you'll want to transfer it to where you'll actually use it, such as your email client (like Outlook or Gmail) or a document. Remember, Cohere's AI generates text, but it doesn't send emails or manage documents directly.

1. Carefully select (highlight) all the text of the AI's final reply using your mouse or trackpad.
2. Once the text is highlighted, right-click on it (or use a two-finger tap on a Mac trackpad) and choose "Copy" from the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+C (on Windows) or Command+C (on Mac) on your keyboard.
   • What you see: The text you selected will usually turn a different colour, indicating it's highlighted.
   • What happens next: The selected text is now saved to your computer's "clipboard," which is a temporary storage area for copied information.
   • If it looks different: Some AI tools might have a dedicated "Copy" button next to the AI's response – look for an icon that looks like two overlapping squares. If so, simply click that.
   • You'll know it worked when you can paste the text into another program, such as an empty email draft or a word processor document.

Try another practical business task

Cohere's AI can assist with a wide variety of everyday business tasks, not just email drafting. You can use the same chat window to try a completely different type of task to see its versatility.

1. In the same chat window, type a new, unrelated prompt that focuses on a different business need.
2. Press "Enter" or click the "Send" button.
   • What you see: Your new prompt appears, and the AI will begin thinking and typing its response for this fresh request.
   • What happens next: The AI generates an entirely new piece of content, showing its ability to switch gears and handle different types of information and requests.
   • If it looks different: If you prefer to start a completely fresh conversation and erase the previous chat history, look for a "New Chat" button or icon (often a plus symbol + or a speech bubble icon) somewhere on the screen, usually in the top-left or top-right of the chat interface.

Summarise these three points of customer feedback: "The product was easy to use. Shipping took longer than expected. Customer service was helpful but slow to respond."

    *   **You'll know it worked when** the AI provides a concise summary or a completely different type of output (e.g., a list of ideas) based on your new instruction.