How do I brief an AI agent so it does the job I actually want?

Brief it like a capable new assistant. Start with the outcome and why it matters: "a comparison of three family laptops so I can choose by Friday." Say what done looks like: the format, the length, where to save it. Give it what it needs: attach the files, connect only the accounts the job uses, and name the sites to trust. Then set the limits: what it may do alone, and when to stop and ask, for example before paying, booking or messaging anyone. Ask it to list its sources and anything it guessed. OpenAI's help page gives the same order for ChatGPT Work. Claude asks when something is unclear, and in Gemini you can type "interview me" in a task to be walked through it.