Ask AI: best practices when asking questions

How Fuse’s AI detects a question

Fuse’s Ask AI feature detects a question if it contains at least one of the following:

• It has a question mark at the end (?).

• It features an interrogative word, such as who, what, where, when, why, and how - Fuse’s AI can detect a question with one of these interrogative words at the start, even when there is no question mark at the end.

• Inverted word order, typical of questions in some languages.

If a question isn’t detected, Fuse defaults to the regular search results instead, shown in the Search results tab.

Example:

• ✅ “What is our expense policy” will be recognised as a question, even though it does not have a question mark at the end of it because it contains the interrogative word “What” at the start.
  

• ❌ “Expense policy” is too short and lacks both an interrogative term at the start and a question mark at the end, which means that it won’t be recognised as a question and an AI-generated answer won’t be produced.

Asking effective questions

Asking questions clearly and effectively ensures that Fuse’s AI gives you the most relevant answers possible.

Please take note of the following tips and guidelines when asking questions:

Include lots of context

Try to include as much context in your questions as possible. This can help Fuse’s AI understand what you are asking and helps you get to the correct answer as quickly as possible.

Example:

❌ Instead of entering: Security process

✅ Try: What is the security protocol for remote staff in the APAC region?

Examples of questions

There are various different question types that can be asked, all of which can trigger an AI-generated answer.

These are as follows:

Factoid questions

These questions seek specific factual answers, often with brief and straightforward responses.

• What is...?

  • "What is the capital of France?"

  • "What is the boiling point of water?"

• Who is...?

  • "Who is the CEO of Google?"

  • "Who wrote 'Hamlet'?"

• When did...?

  • "When did the American Civil War end?"

  • "When is the next solar eclipse?"

• Where is...?

  • "Where is the nearest coffee shop?"

  • "Where do tigers live?"

• How many/much...?

  • "How many planets are in the Solar System?"

  • "How much does an iPhone cost?"
    

Confirmation questions

These questions require a yes or no answer, often used to verify information.

• Is/Are...?

  • "Is Berlin the capital of Germany?"

  • "Are there 24 hours in a day?"

• Can...?

  • "Can you see the moon during the day?"

  • "Can dogs eat chocolate?"

• Does/Do...?

  • "Does sugar dissolve in water?"

  • "Do elephants live in the jungle?"

• Have/Has...?

  • "Have you finished the report?"

  • "Has the meeting been rescheduled?"
    

Listing questions

This type of question requires a list of items or options in the response.

• What are the...?

  • "What are the main ingredients in lasagna?"

  • "What are the colors of the rainbow?"

• Which types/kinds of...?

  • "Which types of whales are considered endangered?"

  • "Has the World Health Organisation launched a new initiative for pandemic preparedness?"

Descriptive questions

This type of question seeks more detailed or elaborate information on a topic.

• What does... look like?

  • "What does the Eiffel Tower look like?"

  • "What does a microprocessor do?"

• How does... work/function?

  • "How does a refrigerator work?"

  • "How does the stock market function?"

Complex questions

This type of question involves multiple layers or parts and requires more nuanced understanding and responses.

• Why and how...?

  • "Why and how did World War II start?"

  • "Why and how do certain foods cause allergies?"

• What are the reasons... and what can be done?

  • "What are the reasons for the decline in bee populations and what can be done to help?"

  • "What are the reasons for the economic crisis in country X and what can be done to recover?"