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02 / AI & Digital Tools

Curious about AI?
Let’s find a useful starting point.

“Could AI help with this?” is a good first question.

Does one of these sound familiar?

Choose one to open a short explanation below. It’s fine if none of them fit.

I haven’t tried AI yet

What it often looks like

You hear about it constantly, but you’re not sure which tool to open or what to type. It can feel late to be asking.

Why it matters

Not having used it is common. In a government survey, 26.7% of people in Japan said they had used generative AI (fiscal 2024). You are free to start at your own pace.

A step you can take yourself

Try one everyday question that contains no personal information. For example: “Plan three dinners and give me a shopping list.”

With COMPASS

We try the first questions together, looking at the same screen. No paid plan is assumed.

Ask about this

I don’t get useful answers

What it often looks like

You have tried it, but what comes back is long and generic. You end up rewriting it yourself.

Why it matters

What is usually missing is context. Unless you say who it is for and what it is meant to do, AI can only give a general answer.

A step you can take yourself

Next time, add three things to your request: who it is for, what it is for and how long it should be.

With COMPASS

Using a real task of yours, we practise the cycle of asking, adjusting and checking.

Ask about this

I want help with everyday tasks

What it often looks like

Announcements, email drafts, summarising long documents. You wonder whether AI could help with the tasks that take up your time.

Why it matters

Some tasks suit it and some don’t. It can draft and organise, but checking facts and making the final call remain your job. Separating the two shows where it fits.

A step you can take yourself

From this week’s work, pick one task where having a first draft would make things easier.

With COMPASS

We decide together what to hand to AI in that task and what you check yourself. No result or time saving is promised.

Ask about this

I’m unsure what I can share

What it often looks like

A customer’s name, an internal document. You can’t tell whether it is acceptable to paste it in.

Why it matters

How your input is handled depends on the service and its settings. Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission asks users to check the terms and privacy policy before deciding.

A step you can take yourself

When in doubt, replace names and amounts with placeholders, or leave them out. Never enter passwords or private keys.

With COMPASS

We read the settings and terms of the service you use together, and write down your own rule for what goes in and what stays out.

Ask about this

FROM GETTING ANSWERS TO USING THEM WELL

What makes the difference is how you ask—
and how you check.

No advanced technique is needed. You state the goal, then review what comes back. Here is that cycle in a small example.

Illustrative, fictional exampleFrom a vague request to a draft you can use.
  1. Goal

    Post a notice on social media that the shop will be closed for a day.

  2. First request

    “Write an announcement.”

    Nothing says who it is for or what it announces. The reply is long and generic.

  3. Add context

    “This is for the social media of a fictional bakery, Komugi-do. Write for regular customers, in a warm tone, under 60 words. Write the closing date as [DATE]. Do not invent a date or a reason.”

    Audience, purpose, length and what to avoid are now stated.

  4. Draft

    “Thank you for visiting us. Komugi-do will be closed on [DATE]. We’re sorry for the inconvenience and look forward to seeing you again soon.”

  5. Refine

    “Add a line for the day we reopen. No emoji.”

    One round is rarely enough. Say what is missing.

  6. A person checks

    Are the date and weekday right? Does it sound like the shop? Is any personal information in it?

    Only then do you post it yourself.

“Komugi-do” is fictional and this exchange was written for explanation. AI responses vary each time and are not guaranteed to be correct.

Three habits worth building

  1. 01

    Give context

    Describe the audience, goal and constraints.

  2. 02

    Try a small task

    Use an example without confidential information.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    Check facts and wording before using it.

What the sources say

Sources checked on 11 November 2026.

Easy to overlook

Using AI well often depends on judgment more than on technique.

  • A fluent, confident answer is not necessarily a correct one.
  • Numbers, dates and names should be checked against the original source.
  • Free and paid plans, and individual settings, can treat your input differently.
  • Your employer or clients may already have rules about using AI.
  • Deciding not to use it for a particular task is also a valid decision.

What you can learn

Understand the basics

Understand strengths, limitations, incorrect answers and when independent checking is needed.

Give clearer instructions

Practice giving context, goals and constraints, then refining your request as you review the response.

Try a familiar task

Explore drafts, summaries and organization using examples without confidential information.

Build careful habits

Discuss personal and confidential data, reviewing outputs and keeping human judgment in the process.

How we approach a session

We start with your goals and current experience, then confirm tools, topics, timing and any fee. A paid tool subscription is not assumed. If one is needed, the reason and cost are explained in advance.

What’s included—and what isn’t

You can ask about

  • AI basics: what it does well and where it struggles
  • How to ask, and how to refine what comes back
  • Everyday uses such as drafts, summaries and organising ideas
  • Thinking through what to enter, and how to check the output

Outside the scope

  • Guarantees of accurate answers, results or time savings
  • Workflow automation and AI-agent implementation (Coming Soon)
  • Demonstrations using your confidential or customer data
  • An approach that assumes you will buy a particular paid tool

Workflow automation

Coming Soon / In preparation

Workflow automation and AI-agent implementation services are in preparation. They are not currently offered as an available paid service. You can still tell us about tasks you find difficult during a consultation.

Before using AI

AI output is not guaranteed to be accurate or current. Do not enter personal/customer information, passwords or private keys. Review the service’s terms and data practices, and check important decisions against primary information or an appropriately qualified professional. Results and time savings are not guaranteed.

What you can say when you get in touch

Send one as it is, or put it your own way.

  • “I’ve never used AI. Where should I begin?”
  • “I’d like to use it for shop announcements. How should I ask it?”
  • “I want to understand how much work information is safe to enter.”

When you get in touch, please don’t send passwords or your customers’ personal information.

You don’t need to know the technical words.
Explain what’s happening in your own words.
We can work out where to start together.

Start a free consultation ↗Choose LINE, Telegram or email. An enquiry alone does not create a paid contract.