How to study and learn faster with AI – a beginner’s step-by-step guide

Set up your AI chat

First, open your web browser and go to the AI chat website. For this guide, we'll use ChatGPT, a large language model (LLM) – which is essentially a powerful computer program trained on a huge amount of text, allowing it to understand and generate human-like language. You’ll need to sign in, or create a free account if you don't have one yet.

You'll know it worked when you see a blank text box ready for your message, usually at the bottom of the screen.

Ask for a plain-language explanation

Now that you're in the chat, think of a subject you want to understand better – maybe "photosynthesis" from biology or "supply-chain logistics" for a business course. Type a clear instruction, called a prompt, into the text box that tells the AI exactly what you need. Make sure to specify the level of detail, like asking it to explain it "simply" or "like I'm a beginner."

You'll know it worked when the AI starts typing out an explanation in response to your message, appearing just above your prompt.

Explain photosynthesis in simple terms, like I’m a high-school student with no science background.

Then, press the 'Enter' key on your keyboard or click the 'Send message' button (often a paper plane icon) next to the text box. If it looks different, and you're using a phone, look for a microphone icon to speak your prompt, or ensure you've tapped the text box to bring up your keyboard.

Request a bullet-point summary

After getting a basic description, it's helpful to condense the main ideas. This makes it easier to remember the core concepts. In the same chat, ask the AI to summarise the key points into a short, easy-to-read list. This helps you grasp the structure of the topic at a glance, like creating a quick cheat sheet for yourself.

You'll know it worked when the AI presents a concise, numbered or bulleted list directly below your request, making the key information easy to skim.

Summarise the main steps of photosynthesis in 5 bullet points.

If it looks different, and the summary isn't quite right, try being more specific, for example: "Can you re-summarise that for me, focusing only on the cause and effect, in three short sentences?"

Create a quick practice quiz

Testing yourself is one of the fastest ways to figure out what you've actually learned and what you still need to review. Ask the AI to generate a few questions based on the summary it just provided. This step turns passive reading into active recall, which is a proven technique for strengthening your memory and understanding. You can choose the type of quiz, like multiple-choice or short answer.

You'll know it worked when the AI displays a short list of questions, each with several options to choose from, or a clear question with space for your answer.

Make three multiple-choice questions about the bullet-point summary of photosynthesis. Include one correct answer and three distractors for each question.

If it looks different, and the questions aren't in the format you wanted, rephrase your prompt to specify, for instance: "Instead, can you make three open-ended questions?"

Check your answers and get clarification

Now that you have your quiz, write down your answers on a piece of paper or in your notes app. Once you're done, type your answers back into the chat. Then, ask the AI to tell you which ones were correct and, importantly, why any wrong answers were incorrect. This feedback loop helps to correct misunderstandings and deepens your knowledge, converting a guess into solid understanding.

You'll know it worked when the AI clearly identifies which of your answers were correct and provides explanations for any you got wrong, or expands on the right ones.

Here are my answers to the photosynthesis quiz: 1-B, 2-A, 3-C. Which are correct, and can you explain any mistakes?

If it looks different, and the AI seems confused, make sure your answers are clearly formatted (e.g., "Question 1: A, Question 2: B") so it can easily understand what you're checking.