Unit 1Curiosity and the three questions

The big idea

Curiosity is the engine. But "I'm interested in AI" doesn't get you anywhere. A good question does. In this unit you write three questions that, once answered, will get you where you want to go.

Why it matters

A person with clear questions can direct an AI. A person without them gets generic answers back. When one student told me they'd asked an AI how to reach their goals, the answer was "research different things." That's what you get when the question is vague.

Your three questions become the backbone of the whole course. You'll bring them into the Socratic method, your first AI research, and your build.

Do this

1. Say why you're here. Out loud or on paper, finish this sentence: "I'm doing this because I want to..." Be honest. "I'm bored at school" is a fine start.
2. Write three questions. Each one should get you closer to that goal. Good examples:
   • "How do I build a biotech company?"
   • "How do I get a job at a bank?"
   • "How do I turn my wildfire sensor idea into something real?"
3. Check each question. Every question should point at one of these:
   • Knowledge you don't have yet
   • A person who knows something you don't
   • A resource you need, like money, tools or data
4. Keep them. Write them somewhere you'll see them. Come back to them at the end of every unit. By the end of the course, you should be able to answer at least one of them.
5. When you get stuck, ask in this order: yourself first, then the person next to you, then the next person, then a teacher or mentor. In a group, this keeps the room moving without one person answering everything.

Try it with AI

Once your questions are written, ask an AI to sharpen them. Copy this:

Here are three questions I want to answer this year: [paste your questions]. My goal is [your goal]. For each question, tell me what's vague about it and suggest a sharper version. Ask me one question at a time before you suggest anything.

Don't just accept its rewrite. Keep the version that sounds like you.

Questions to ask yourself

• Which of my three questions scares me a little? That's probably the important one.
• Who already knows the answer to one of these?
• Is this question about what I find interesting, or about what I actually want to get done?

In my words

"There's no bad questions. There's just bad answers."

I started my first company in my last year of university by walking into companies and asking how they made money and how I could help. The first year paid me nothing. But those questions got me a mentor who ran one of the biggest energy-tech companies in Calgary. Curiosity is how I built my whole career.

Worksheet

Use Worksheet 1: My three questions in the PDF kit.