How to Use Gemini to Discover What to Learn Next

 I Asked Gemini to Show Me What I Didn't Know—Here's What Happened

When I started studying AI in my 50s, I ran into a strange problem:

I didn't know what I didn't know.

If I didn't know a feature existed, how could I ask AI about it?

AI could answer my questions. But my questions were still limited by what I already knew.

So I tried something different.

I asked Gemini to help me discover what to ask next.

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💡 So I Gave Gemini One Extra Job

In Instructions for Gemini, I added one simple rule:

“Whenever I ask a question, suggest two related features or ideas that could help me learn or do more.”

I wasn't asking for longer answers.

I wanted Gemini to show me the next door I didn't know was there.

Then one day, it did.

🌐 Google explains how Instructions for Gemini can be used to give Gemini preferences and instructions that apply to your chats.

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📊 I Was Just Working on a Google Sheet

I was using Google Apps Script to organize data in Google Sheets.

Gemini helped me with the code. I hit an error, pasted the error message back into Gemini, fixed it, and got the script working.

Great.

Done. Next.

Except Gemini wasn't done. 😂

It followed my instruction and suggested two more ideas.

One immediately caught my attention:

“Set up a time-driven trigger to update the sheet automatically every morning.”

My reaction?

“A what?” 😂

More importantly, I would never have thought to ask about one.

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⚙️ Of Course, I Had to Try It

1️⃣ Open Apps Script
In Google Sheets, go to Extensions → Apps Script.

2️⃣ Save the script
I used the script I'd already tested with Gemini.

3️⃣ Add the trigger
Open Triggers → Add Trigger, select Time-driven, and choose a daily time window.

That was it.

A few minutes earlier:

“A what?”

Now I had one running. 😂

🌐 Google's Apps Script documentation explains how installable triggers can run functions automatically, including time-driven triggers.

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🌱 What I Learned

The automation was useful.

But the real discovery was how I found it.

I had never asked Gemini how to automate my sheet every morning—because I didn't know I could.

That's when I realized I could use AI for more than answers. I could also ask it to show me what to explore next.

So now, when I'm learning something new, I often add one simple request:

“Suggest two related things I could learn or try next.”

Every now and then, the answer still makes me think:

“Wait... you can do that?” 😂

And that's often where my next lesson begins. 🌱

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📌 New to These Terms?

💡 Instructions for Gemini
A place to save instructions you want Gemini to follow regularly, so you don't have to repeat them in every conversation.

💡 Google Apps Script
A tool for using code to automate tasks across Google services such as Sheets, Docs, and Gmail.

💡 Time-driven trigger
A setting that automatically runs an Apps Script at a scheduled time or interval, without you starting it manually.