If you are facing a large purchase or trying to say no at work, AI can help with two tasks that are more difficult than they look: **thinking through an expensive decision** and **writing a clear, courteous decline email**. Neither requires technical knowledge. You simply give the AI the facts, tell it what matters to you, and ask it to show its reasoning rather than handing you a mysterious answer.

Try at least one before Sunday. That is the whole assignment.

Use Case 1 of 2

Use Case 1: Researching a major purchase decision

At 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Margaret Lewis opened twelve browser tabs about heat pumps. Her old furnace had stopped working twice that winter, and the contractor had quoted her $14,000 for a replacement system. One website praised a particular brand as “the future of home heating.” Another warned that repairs could be expensive. A neighbor recommended buying the cheapest model; her brother insisted she should pay more for efficiency. Margaret was not looking for a gadget. She was trying to make a decision that would affect her monthly bills, comfort, and savings for the next decade. The problem was not a lack of information. It was too much information, presented by people trying to sell her something.

AI is useful here as a **research assistant and comparison partner**, not as the final authority. It can help you organize the decision, identify missing questions, compare options using your priorities, and separate facts you have verified from assumptions that still need checking.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

> I am researching a major purchase and want help making a careful, practical decision - not a sales pitch. > > The purchase is: [describe the product or service]. > My location is: [city, state or country]. > My budget is: [amount or range]. > I expect to use it for: [describe how often and by whom]. > The most important factors are: [list your top three to five priorities, such as reliability, low operating cost, ease of use, safety, resale value, or service availability]. > My time horizon is: [how long I expect to own or use it]. > > Here are the options I am considering: > 1. [Option A, including model, price, and any information I know] > 2. [Option B, including model, price, and any information I know] > 3. [Option C, including model, price, and any information I know] > > Analyze these options in plain English. Create a comparison based on my priorities, including purchase price, likely ongoing costs, maintenance, warranty, repairability, expected lifespan, and any important hidden costs. Identify which facts need to be verified from the manufacturer, installer, dealer, or an independent source. > > Do not assume that the most expensive option is best. Do not invent prices, performance figures, reliability ratings, tax credits, or warranty details. If information is missing or uncertain, say so clearly. > > Then give me: > - the five most important questions to ask a salesperson or contractor; > - the three biggest risks in this purchase; > - the circumstances in which each option would make sense; and > - a short checklist I can use before signing a contract. > > Ask me up to five clarifying questions before making your recommendation if the missing information could materially change the result.

Why this prompt works: It gives the AI a **decision framework**, not merely a product name. Budget, location, usage, priorities, and ownership period all affect the answer. The instruction to compare ongoing costs and hidden costs prevents the analysis from stopping at the sticker price. Most important, the prompt tells the AI not to invent facts and requires it to identify what you must verify elsewhere. Asking for questions, risks, and a signing checklist turns a general answer into something you can use in a real conversation.

Use Case 2 of 2

Use Case 2: Writing a professional decline email

On Thursday at 9:40 a.m., David Chen received an email from a former colleague asking him to join a six-month consulting project. The work sounded interesting, and David valued the relationship. But he had already committed to two clients and knew that accepting would mean working nights for most of the spring. His first draft began, “I’m so sorry, but unfortunately I probably won’t be able to…” After three paragraphs of explanation, he still had not clearly said no. David was not struggling with the decision. He was struggling with the discomfort of delivering it. That is precisely where a short, well-structured AI draft can help.

A professional decline usually needs four things: acknowledgment, a clear decision, a brief reason, and - only when genuine - an alternative or future possibility. The answer should appear near the beginning, not be hidden beneath an elaborate apology. A good refusal protects your time without treating the other person’s request as an inconvenience.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

> Help me write a professional email declining a request. > > Recipient’s name: [name] > My relationship with this person: [client, manager, colleague, former colleague, vendor, etc.] > What they asked me to do: [describe the request specifically] > My decision: I am declining. > Honest reason: [briefly explain the real reason, such as lack of capacity, timing, budget, conflict of interest, or work outside my current focus] > Alternative I can genuinely offer, if any: [referral, later date, smaller scope, useful resource, or “none”] > > Write a concise email of 120 to 170 words. Use a warm, professional tone suitable for an adult who values the relationship. Thank the person for thinking of me, state the decision clearly in the first two paragraphs, and give one brief reason without over-explaining or sounding defensive. Offer the alternative only if it is realistic. Do not make promises I have not authorized. > > Avoid these phrases: “I’m sorry, but,” “unfortunately,” “maybe,” and “I hope you understand.” Do not make the refusal sound negotiable. Do not criticize the request or imply that the other person has wasted my time. Include a clear subject line and a warm closing. > > After drafting the email, provide a second version that is slightly firmer and a third version that is more personal. Explain in one sentence when I should use each version.

Why this prompt works: It separates the decision from the wording. You have already decided; the AI’s job is to express that decision with the right amount of warmth and firmness. The word limit prevents a long defense, while the instruction to state the answer early avoids the vague “perhaps another time” language that creates confusion. Providing the relationship, reason, and genuine alternative gives the draft enough context to sound human rather than copied.

Know someone who spends too long on things AI could do in two minutes? Forward this to three people who subscribe and I will send you my free AI Prompt Starter Pack: 20 ready-to-use prompts for everyday life.

By Dr. Rowan Hayes