AI formulas for Google Sheets: what returns a number, what returns text
There are two kinds of AI formula for a spreadsheet, and they answer different questions. One writes text into a cell. The other returns a judgment you can sort.
Text in a cell
Chat-style functions, including Google's own AI function in Sheets and the add-ons built on chat models, take a prompt and return generated text: a summary, a rewrite, a draft, a category name in whatever wording the model chose that time. That is the right tool for writing. It is a poor tool for scoring: the format drifts between rows, "0.8" from a chat model is a token rather than a probability, and the price is usually per token, so a long ticket costs more than a short one.
A judgment in a cell
Hunch's three formulas return exactly one of three shapes, identical in every row:
=HUNCH(A2, "Is this lead a decision maker?") → 0.91
=HUNCHPICK(A2, "billing|refund|bug|other") → "refund"
=HUNCHSCORE(A2, "How frustrated is the customer?", "calm|annoyed|angry|furious") → 2.48In Excel: =HUNCH.ASK(A2, "Is this lead a decision maker?") → 0.91
=HUNCH.PICK(A2, "billing|refund|bug|other") → "refund"
=HUNCH.SCORE(A2, "How frustrated is the customer?", "calm|annoyed|angry|furious") → 2.48
The answers come from Jev, a model by TypeSafe built to return calibrated judgments rather than text. A 0.91 is meant as a probability. One row is one credit, whatever its length.
Side by side
| Row | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chat-style AI function | Hunch | |
| 2 | Output | Generated text | Probability, option, or level |
| 3 | Format between rows | Varies | Identical |
| 4 | Price | Per token or per plan | Per row, $29 for 5,000 |
| 5 | Install | Add-on or a paid plan | Copy a sheet, paste a key |
| 6 | Writes prose | Yes | No |
| 7 | Sorts and pivots | After cleanup | Directly |
What Hunch cannot do
- Write anything: no summaries, no drafts, no rewrites.
- Arithmetic, counting, or comparing dates. Keep those in normal formulas.
- Read images or files. Text in a cell only.
- Languages other than English at the same accuracy. Test a sample first.
Use both. Let a chat function draft the reply, and let a Hunch column decide which tickets need one first.
Questions
Does Hunch need an add-on?
Is my data used to train anything?
Run it on your own column
Copy the template (or use the Excel add-in), paste your key, point the formula at your data. Every formula here has its Excel spelling underneath. 100 rows free to start, then $29 for 5,000 rows. Credits never expire and there is no subscription.
Reference: HUNCH · HUNCHPICK · HUNCHSCORE