Chat with an assistant
An assistant is there to help you learn at your own pace. You ask, it answers, and you keep going from there, the same way you would chat with anyone. You can type, add a file when it helps, and read or listen to what comes back. This shows you how a chat works from your first message on.
This takes about three minutes. You do not need any technical knowledge.
Before you start
You need to have opened an assistant from one of your Spaces. If you have not done that yet, find your spaces and assistants first, then come back. Once an assistant is open, you see a message box at the bottom, and that is where everything starts.
Chat with an assistant
A chat is a back and forth. You send a message, the assistant answers, and you keep the conversation going for as long as you need. Work through the steps in order.
1. Type your message
Click the message box at the bottom where it says Type a message here, and write what you want to ask or say. Press Enter or click the send button to send it. Ask in your own words, the same as you would ask a person, and do not worry about getting it perfectly worded.
2. Add a file if it helps
If you want the assistant to look at something, click Upload next to the message box and choose a file. You can add PDFs and images, for example a worksheet, a photo of your notes, or a picture you are working on. Then send your message as usual, and the assistant can use the file in its answer.
3. Read the answer
The assistant writes its answer back to you in the chat, just below your message. Take your time to read it. If the assistant looked something up, it may show where the information came from so you can check it. If you would rather listen, you can have the answer read aloud with the Read aloud button on the answer.
4. Keep the conversation going
You do not have to get everything in one message. If an answer is unclear, ask the assistant to explain it again or in a simpler way. The assistant remembers what you have said in this chat, so you can build on it, ask follow-up questions, and keep going until it makes sense.
Data & safety
Your teacher can see the conversations you have with an assistant, so treat a chat like work you hand in and keep it on topic. An assistant can get things wrong, so read its answers with a thinking head and check anything important, the same as you would with something you found online. Do not share personal details like your real address or phone number in a chat. There is more on this in using AI responsibly.
Tips
- Say what you actually want. "Explain this like I am new to it" or "give me a hint, not the answer" gets you a more useful reply than a one-word question.
- If the first answer is not quite right, tell the assistant what was off. It will try again with what you tell it.
- Reading an answer aloud can help if a piece of text is long or tricky. Listening once can make it easier to follow.
Troubleshooting
My message will not send. Check that you have actually typed something in the message box, since an empty message has nothing to send. If it still will not go, check your internet connection and try once more.
My file will not upload. Sokra supports PDFs and images. If your file is a different type, it will not go through, so try a PDF or a picture instead. Very large files can also be turned away, so a smaller version may work.
The answer looks wrong or does not make sense. Assistants can make mistakes. Tell the assistant what is off and ask it to try again, and check anything important against another source.