To get value from Intelligent UI in ChatGPT, start with the action you need: comparing options, understanding a relationship or changing an input to see what happens. Then request the format that fits. Do not begin by asking for an "impressive" answer. A useful component improves understanding or enables a check; an attractive one that hides its data sources can make understanding harder.
OpenAI began rolling out GPT-6 and Intelligent UI in October 2026. The format can combine text with diagrams, buttons and interactive tools according to the question. There is no need to expect them in every response. A request for a brief explanation may rightly produce one paragraph, and users can ask for text only from the outset.
1. Choose the action before the component
A comparison suits defined alternatives and criteria. A calculator suits inputs and a formula. A diagram suits a structure or relationship that is difficult to understand. Before prompting, write down what you want to know afterward. If you cannot identify what to change or compare, adding buttons will not resolve that uncertainty.
For example, ask to compare three options using the same criteria, leaving missing information marked as missing. The format then exposes gaps instead of concealing them. Every cell need not be filled merely to make the cards look consistent. Ask the system to separate facts you supplied from assumptions it proposes for demonstration.
Compare the options using my criteria. Include an interactive component only if it makes comparison easier. Mark missing information and do not supply numbers without a source.
2. Require a calculator to show its workings
A useful calculator should display field names, units, a formula and assumptions. If an input is monthly and the output annual, the transition should be explicit. For any value you did not supply, establish whether it is a demonstration assumption or sourced information. Many decimal places do not turn an inaccurate assumption into a reliable fact.
Start with a case you can calculate yourself. As a purely educational example, adding 100 each month for 12 months, without interest or fees, should total 1,200. This is a simple arithmetic test, not a financial forecast. Then change just one field and check whether the output moves in the expected direction and amount. One correct case does not prove all cases work.
Build a calculator using my data. Show the formula, units and every assumption. Do not add interest, fees or external data. Explain how I can check the result manually.
3. Check what a chart's axes actually mean
Before drawing a conclusion from a graph, read its axis labels, units and period. Establish whether it shows an absolute value, percentage or change over time. A higher bar does not necessarily mean a better outcome. The variable being measured determines the comparison's meaning, rather than the bar's height or color.
Request the data in text or a table too, so you can compare it with the component. If a figure appears without a source or explanation, stop before relying on it. For a conceptual diagram, ask a different question: are its arrows and relationships illustrations or factual claims? Request a brief explanation of any relationship that is not self-explanatory.
Chart the data I supplied, with axis titles and units. Include the same data in text, and explicitly identify anything added solely for illustration.
4. Separate information, assumptions and output
Check a component in three layers. First, the inputs: where the figures came from and their date. Second, the assumptions: what remains fixed and what the system filled in. Third, the operation: how inputs and assumptions produced the result. If a layer is hidden, request it before trying to improve the design.
For changing information such as prices or opening hours, an interactive display does not itself constitute an update. A relevant source and appropriate date are needed. Without a source, the component can be a labeled demonstration, but should not be presented as current reality. The same rule applies when passing the result to a colleague or incorporating it into another document.
5. Return to text when it helps
To get a simple answer, write: "Answer in text only, without diagrams, buttons or interactive components." If a component already exists, ask for its data, formula and conclusion in paragraphs. OpenAI's description also allows reducing visual content, but there is no need to guess a menu name to communicate that preference within the conversation.
Text is particularly useful for copying instructions, checking wording or reading a short sequence of steps. A combination can also work: one comparison component beside a paragraph explaining the conclusion and its limitations. The goal is to reduce unnecessary effort, rather than prove that every answer can become a small app.
A quick check before using the result
- I understand the task the component is meant to help with.
- Its data and units are visible, with sources known or values labeled as demonstrations.
- The formula or relationships are explained enough to be checked.
- I have tested at least one simple case and one input change.
- I can explain the conclusion without displaying the component.
If you cannot explain the result without pointing to its design, ask for clarification. Intelligent UI helps when it brings the data and reasoning closer to the user. When it conceals them, the first fix is to make them visible, even if the final answer becomes shorter and less colorful.