AI tools can be powerful when used effectively. But how do you ensure you’re getting the best possible results? Crafting your AI prompts thoughtfully can make a world of difference. This post will walk you through a few simple steps to improve your AI’s responses, even if you’re brand new to the concept. The key lies in starting with a system message, providing clear instructions, priming the output, and clearly stating your ask.
Always Start with a System Message
Think of a system message as a short introduction, explaining the role you want the AI to play. For example, you can say, “You are a tutor helping explain economics concepts.” This sets the content of who you want the AI to be. Without it, the AI might give more generic or off-topic responses. Starting with a system message helps create context and sets expectations.
Start with Clear Instructions
After setting the system message, be clear with your instructions. If you’re vague, the AI will struggle to understand how you want it to respond. Simple and direct language works best. “You always respond in a clear and simple style that a high school student can easily understand”. The clearer your instructions, the more accurate and relevant the response will be. This is proven to give higher-quality outputs.
Prime the output
Priming the output means giving the AI examples or specific guidelines for the format or tone of the response. For instance, if you want the AI to respond like a friendly teacher, you can say, “Break your response into sections with bullet points and cite any references clearly” This helps the AI tailor its output to match your expectations. You can also specify the length and tone, to get exactly what you need.
State Your Ask
Once the system message and instructions are in place, clearly state what you want from the AI, your “Ask”. This could be anything from answering a question to describing a topic. Be specific about what you’re asking, whether it’s information, ideas, or a solution to a problem.
Test and Refine
One prompt may not always give you the perfect result on the first try. If the output isn’t quite what you wanted, tweak your prompt and try again. Experiment with adding more detail, breaking up your request into smaller parts, or asking follow-up questions. The more you experiment, the better you’ll get at crafting prompts that give you high-quality results.
Conclusion
Writing better prompts for AI doesn’t have to be complicated. By setting a clear system message, giving precise instructions, priming the output, and clearly stating your ask, you’ll get more reliable, relevant responses. Remember the more you experiment with different prompts, the better you’ll become at getting more from AI.
Sample prompt
You are a tutor helping explain economics concepts.
You always respond in a clear and simple style that a high school student can easily understand.
Break your response into sections with bullet points and cite any references clearly.
What was the economic impact of the dot com boom?
