AI handoff checklist: 6 things to bring when you switch AIs

The checklist

Go down this list. If you can't answer one, the new AI can't either.

1. Step 1.Goal.

   Can you say what you're trying to do in one sentence? “Write a cover letter for a design job” is a goal. “Help with my stuff” is not.

2. Step 2.Decisions and Current State.

   What is already settled, and what is done? If you changed your mind along the way, write the new choice and say it replaces the old one. (More on that in Why your AI keeps going back to old instructions.)

3. Step 3.Constraints and Preferences.

   What are your rules? Think budget, tools, tone, length, format, and things to leave out. These are easy to lose, because you often say them once, early, and never again.

4. Step 4.Open Questions and Risks.

   What is still unknown or not decided? If nothing is open, write “None.” That tells the new AI it doesn't need to guess.

5. Step 5.Next Action.

   What should the new AI do first? Give one clear instruction, like “Draft the second paragraph” or “Check this plan for gaps.”

6. Step 6.Essential Context.

   What facts can't the new AI guess? Names, numbers, dates, and links go here. Keep it short. Only add what's needed to keep going.

What to leave out

• Small talk and thank-yous.
• Drafts you threw away, unless you need to say why.
• Dead ends you already tried.
• Personal details the task doesn't need.

A short list the AI can follow beats a long chat it has to dig through.

Quick check before you paste

• The goal fits in one sentence.
• Every rule you care about is written down.
• Old choices are marked as replaced.
• There is exactly one next step.
• Files are ready to upload again. They don't come along with the text.

Or let KumiBrief write it

Paste your chat or notes into KumiBrief. It writes these six parts for ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini, or a generic brief. Read it before you use it, because the model can miss a detail. No account needed.