So I stopped treating chat as the thing to improve, and started testing different ways intelligence could show up. I wasn't looking for the prettiest format. I wanted to know what helped someone notice something, understand it, trust it, and decide what to do next.

Non-prescriptive insights. Operators knew things about their business that we didn't. Sometimes showing the evidence and letting them connect it built more confidence than telling them what to do.
Content density. More explanation wasn't automatically more useful. Lead with the important thing, then let people go deeper when they want the reasoning.
Generative UI. Instead of asking for the perfect prompt, the interface progressively helps people shape what they want to understand. No empty box to start from.
Inline recommendation. Maybe intelligence didn't need a destination at all. If we know what someone is doing, the relevant insight can appear right there, with a lightweight way to see why it matters.