Understand how AI thinks, get better results

To get the best information out of AI, you need to break down how it thinks. For example, we built Amplitude AI Agents to think like an analyst, breaking down analyses into a series of organized, sequential steps, marrying the best of human intuition and AI efficiency.

My colleague, Jacob Newman, recently highlighted the value of inserting yourself as the human in the loop when prompting with Amplitude Global Agent. That’s because asking AI a big, complex question and hoping it can go straight from A to Z on its own to produce an accurate answer is like clicking the “Feeling Lucky" button and hoping to hit the jackpot.

Instead, you and AI should work together to create the ultimate data analytics dream team. The burden of judgment is ultimately on you as the human, making you the team captain. When your prompts mirror the steps required to answer your question, you get better results. Let’s explore how AI thinks and some best practices for successfully collaborating with it.

1. Zero in on the right question

If your child needs information about dog training for a school project, you wouldn’t drop them at the front door of the library and let them wander around, pulling every book that has “dog” in the title. You’d hold their hand and walk them to the animal section!

Similarly, if AI isn’t looking in the right place, it’s never going to find what it needs. Tell AI what business outcome you want to achieve and ask it to find the right data. The more specific you can be, the better. This includes specifying the desired timeframe and segment whenever possible.

There’s a bad, better, and best way to ask every question. For example:

Don’t send AI on a wild goose chase for broad data and expect it to produce a valid, meaningful answer. Ask focused questions that point it in the right direction. However, over time and with feedback, we expect that AI will be able to understand what people mean better, even when vague.

2. Get (or build) the right chart

Once Global Agent understands your question, it will produce a chart to display the results. Certain charts are better suited to different data sets than others. For example, a funnel chart is ideal for visualizing how users move through a series of steps, while a retention chart is better for showing stickiness and engagement over time.

Our AI is really good at finding the best chart for your data set and question. If you can interpret existing data in a way that actually answers your question, then you (and AI) are ready to move on to the next step. If you can’t, give Global Agent specific feedback so it can iterate to create a more intuitive, useful visualization for you.

3. Validate and confirm AI insights

You’re ready to dig into your visualization to find your answer and possibly ask more questions. Our AI is designed to do that in plain language and with fewer clicks. It’s purpose-built for behavioral analytics and can help you find a root cause, investigate an anomaly, and compare your data to broader benchmarks. Global Agent’s understanding of customer journeys means it knows the difference between meaningful changes and normal variance.

AI generates the insights, but it’s ultimately up to you to ensure they’re valid. If they’re not, have a conversation with the agent about what you need it to do differently until you land on the right output. When you confirm AI’s work, your data goes from insights to actual, usable business information.

4. Decide what to do (together)

Insights don’t drive business outcomes. Action does. The next step is determining how to act to achieve your goals, but you don’t have to make this decision alone. AI can recommend next steps, including specific changes, fixes, and experiments to run.

Use that information as part of your decision process, but be sure to include all the other people who need to be involved. Share your data findings with them, including AI’s recommendations, and create a plan of action.

5. Act

It’s time to put everything you and AI have learned into practice. Use a combination of human-led and AI activities to drive impact and improvements quickly. Amplitude’s Specialized Agents connect insights to action automatically, creating cohorts, launching guides, and running experiments. For example, our Experimentation Agent can design, launch, and analyze tests end-to-end. AI agents always ask permission before taking customer-facing action (e.g., experiments or surveys), ensuring you’re always in the loop.

Stay lock-step with AI to respond faster and build better products

Understanding how AI works enables you to get more out of it, including accurate insights and meaningful action. It will quickly feel like a team of expert analysts working by your side, elevating your whole team’s work.

Amplitude’s AI Analytics Platform, including Global Agent, Specialized Agents, and MCP, transforms analytics from a passive tool into an active growth engine that helps teams build, scale, and grow in real time. Act with confidence, respond faster, and improve continuously.

For more AI analytics best practices, check out these blog articles.