Your AI Installation Kit

Overview

What you're building

A dedicated workspace for one long-running topic, with a living 'state of my knowledge' document you update after each session, so every new conversation starts from what you've already learned.

Why this setup

Long-term research gets lost across chats. A single workspace plus a running summary file means you never re-explain the situation, and you can see how your understanding and options evolved.

The workflow architecture

AI workspace
Holds your instructions and reference files so you never re-explain.
Reference document
Living summary: situation, what I've learned, open questions, options.
Reusable instructions
Always update the summary at the end.

You haven't picked a tool yet, so this kit is platform-neutral. Both Claude and ChatGPT support this setup.

Claude	ChatGPT
Claude Projects: instructions + project knowledge files	ChatGPT Projects: instructions + uploaded files
Optional Claude Skills for reusing a format across chats (plan-dependent)	Personalization settings can hold short preferences
Paid plan needed for Projects	Plan determines Project and file limits

What to prepare

□A short description of the situation and your goal.
□Sources, notes, quotes, or brochures collected so far.
□Your key open questions.

Build it once

Create a dedicated workspace named "Long-Term Personal Research" in the AI tool you choose. Both Claude and ChatGPT call this a "Project". Claude offers Projects on all plans; ChatGPT availability depends on your plan.
Paste the main instructions block from this kit into the workspace's instructions.
Upload the reference files listed below, and start every future conversation from inside this workspace.
Write the Living Summary (even rough) and upload it.
Paste the Project Instructions.
Upload existing sources; ask 'Update my summary with these.' Replace the uploaded summary with the new version.

Copy-ready materials

Edit anything in [BRACKETS]. Changes are kept when you save the kit.

Project Instructions

Keeps knowledge accumulating.

This workspace is for my ongoing research on: [TOPIC]. The file "LIVING SUMMARY" is the current state.

- Start every answer from the Living Summary; don't ask me to re-explain.
- Separate facts from sources I provided, general knowledge "[verify]", and your suggestions.
- When I say "Wrap up", produce an updated Living Summary in the same structure, with today's date and a "Changed since last time" section.
- For health, legal, or financial topics: help me organize information and prepare questions for professionals; do not give a diagnosis or a final recommendation.

Living Summary

Upload, and replace after each Wrap up.

LIVING SUMMARY – [TOPIC]   Updated: [DATE]
SITUATION: [2–3 sentences]
GOAL / DECISION BY: [ ]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: • [fact] (source)
OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED: [Option] – pros / cons / cost / status
OPEN QUESTIONS: • [ ]
PEOPLE & CONTACTS: [role – organization]
NEXT STEPS: • [ ]

How Claude can help execute this

Optional upgradeRecommended where available

Why use this instead of a regular chat?

Projects with memory keep context across sessions; a scheduled task can check for new information on your topic and add it to an update document.

Task execution needs a paid Claude plan. Add your plan in My AI Setup for a more specific recommendation.
Working with files on your computer needs the Claude desktop app (macOS or Windows; Linux is in beta for some features).

Availability depends on your Claude plan and device. Add them in My AI Setup for a more specific recommendation.

1. Set up once

· Create the topic Project with the Living Summary.

2. Claude capabilities used

· Multi-step task execution (Cowork-style)
· Built-in browser (desktop app)
· Scheduled tasks

3. Access, files & permissions

· Web access during tasks
· A paid Claude plan for tasks and scheduling

4. What Claude can do

· Find new sources on your topic
· Draft an update to your Living Summary

5. What you review or approve

· New sources before relying on them
· Any health, legal, or financial information with a professional

6. What changes each run

· New findings

7. Test it safely

· Run one update and check every new source it cites

8. If it doesn't work

Low-quality sources.: List trusted sources in the Project instructions and ask it to prefer them.

Run the task

If your Claude has one unified message box (no Chat/Cowork choice)

Open the Project, then describe the task in any conversation. Claude decides whether it's a quick answer or a task.

If you see separate “Chat” and “Cowork” options

In the message box, select “Cowork” in the bottom-left corner, then describe the task.
Projects work the same way in Cowork and in chat.

Task request

Look for new, reputable information on [TOPIC] since [DATE]. Draft an update to the LIVING SUMMARY with sources. Label anything uncertain.

Scheduled execution (optional)

Only schedule once a manual run has passed your test. Each run is its own task you review.

Unified Claude

Describe the task and how often it should run.
Answer Claude's questions, then review the proposed name, schedule, and instructions and click “Schedule.”

Separate Cowork

Click “Scheduled” in the left sidebar to create and review scheduled tasks.

Schedule request

Every [two weeks], check for new information on [TOPIC] and draft an update to this project's Living Summary, with sources.

Fallback: Add sources yourself and use 'Wrap up' to update the summary.

By default, Claude asks before taking an action. Keep that on for anything involving money, personal records, or files you can't replace.

How to test it

Close everything, come back a day later, ask 'Where are we?'

Success looks like

✓ It summarizes your situation accurately without re-explaining.

How to use it next time

Open the topic's workspace.
Add new material and ask your questions.
End with 'Wrap up' and replace the summary file.

Set up once — reuse

Workspace · Instructions · Summary structure

Changes each time

New sources and conversations · Updated summary

Troubleshooting

It forgets earlier sessions.: Conversations don't carry over reliably on their own; the uploaded Living Summary is your memory. Replace it after every session.
Summary is getting too long.: Ask to compress 'What I've learned' to the 10 most decision-relevant points.
Mixing facts with suggestions.: Reinforce the labeling rule.

Limitations, privacy & safety

· Not a substitute for medical, legal, or financial professionals.
· Quality depends on your sources.

Privacy & safety

· Use initials for family members; leave out diagnoses or identifiers unless you're comfortable with your tool's data policy.
· Check whether your plan uses conversations for training and adjust settings if available.