Document Deep-Dive
Reading a 40-page lease agreement word by word is nobody’s idea of a good time. Uploading it to an AI and asking exactly what you need to know takes 30 seconds. This recipe works with any multimodal model that accepts file uploads — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and most others.
The Recipe
Upload your document, then ask targeted questions:
[Upload the document]
I need to understand this document without reading the whole thing.
Answer each of these questions based only on what's in the document:
1. [Your most important question]
2. [Second question]
3. [Third question]
For each answer: quote the relevant section, then explain it in plain English.
If the answer isn't in the document, say so — don't guess.
Useful question patterns
Contracts and leases:
What are my obligations if I want to exit this agreement early?
What happens if I miss a payment?
Are there any automatic renewal clauses I should know about?
What are the grounds for termination by either party?
Financial reports:
Summarize the biggest risks outlined in this document.
What are the key numbers I should focus on?
Is there anything here that would concern a careful investor?
Research papers:
What is the main claim of this paper?
What methodology did they use and what are its limitations?
What do the authors say about what this study doesn't prove?
Legal documents generally:
Explain the three most important things I need to understand before signing this.
Are there any clauses that are unusual or that I should have a lawyer look at?
What are my rights if the other party doesn't hold up their end?
Tips for better results
Be specific about your situation — instead of “summarize this,” tell it who you are and what decision you’re trying to make. “I’m a first-time renter, what do I need to pay attention to in this lease?” gets a far more useful response.
Follow up on anything you don’t understand — if an answer uses jargon, just say “explain what [term] means in plain English.”
Cross-check important things — for legal or financial decisions, AI analysis is a starting point, not a substitute for professional advice.
🔁 Leftover Remixes
🌶️ Spicy: “Find any language in this document that’s ambiguous, contradictory, or that could be interpreted in more than one way. Flag each one and explain why it matters.”
🧊 Mild: “Give me a plain-English TL;DR of this document in 5 bullet points. What do I actually need to know?”
💰 Budget: “What are the 3 most important sentences in this document? Quote them directly, then explain each in one sentence.”
Prompt concept via Amanda Caswell / Tom’s Guide. Adapted and expanded for The Prompt Kitchen.