How to Write a Good AI Prompt

We are all using chat GPT, gemini, bart, copilot and whatnot. But we’re also all figuring out how to work with them as we go - the spooky results, the weirdly formal style of writing, the complete lack of context… How to deal with this? How to prevent poor results and where to use the AI (and where not to). We don’t like wasting your time so here’s what will follow - skip on to the relevant sections ;)

• The 5 elements of a good prompt according to the AI
• How to write a good prompt + 5 elements (according to Pearstop)
• Leveraging AI and use cases
• Problem solving, brainstorming, writing
• Prevent getting caught - how to make sure your colleagues don’t read your emails anymore because everyone sees it’s only chat GPT

How to write a good AI prompt - according to the AI itself

Step 1 is of course: ask the AI - in this case Notion’s built-in writing assistant. What I’ve asked is this: “what are the 5 elements of a good AI prompt?”

Don’t be afraid, this article might have been AI-assisted, it’s also human-written. But here is the response, marked in grey like any other AI-generated content.

Here are the 5 key elements of a good AI prompt:

1. Clarity: Ensure the prompt is clear and unambiguous.
2. Context: Provide sufficient context to guide the AI's response.
3. Specificity: Be specific about what you want to achieve.
4. Conciseness: Keep the prompt concise and to the point.
5. Relevance: Make sure the prompt is relevant to the task at hand.

How to write a good AI prompt - the human take

We have quite some experience on the topic ourselves here at Pearstop. So here is our take on it - including examples. We’ve split it per use case, just to make it extra handy.

Put super simply: a good prompt really takes in all information you want. Look at it this way: you’re asking a complete stranger to solve something for you.

So you don’t only tell them, hey, write me something about tulips, but you’ll also say that you’re a tulip farmer who has been in the business for 20 years and you want the article to focus around the genetic developments in tulip farming in the Netherlands. How else are they going to know?

An effective structure for your prompt is this: topic - context/audience - goal - format - details. For example: “write an article about genetic development in tulips in the Netherlands, that is aimed to be read by other tulip farmers around Europe as well as tulip merchants in Europe. The goal is to show that Dutch tulips are superior. The article should be short*, informal, and information needs to be presented to the point. Include a list of bullet points of distinguishing factors around where Dutch tulips are genetically more advanced than other tulips in Europe.

Use cases for chat GPT and language processing - what works and what turns your work in to that of a high school junior (sorry)

AI for problem-solving

• Quickly looking up facts works, yet don’t forget the lack of source transparency and accountability
• If the first attempt/question gets answered to your disliking, specifically say that you don’t want that type of answer. When asking about furniture sales in Ireland, you might have meant wholesale. “I want the answer to steer away from B2C/consumer sales, only focus on B2B”

AI for brainstorming

• Ask the AI for a structure: what elements should you definitely consider surrounding your topic?
• Ask again - repetition is your friend here.

AI for writing

• The AI loves bullet points
• Think it through yourself first - don’t rely on it for creativity. Instead, write down your concept, and then use the AI to make your brain’s masterpiece into a digestible
• It’s absolutely a great tool to check whether you’ve conveyed your thoughts correctly.
  • Do: ask for summaries or clarification on interpretation: “can you summarise the point I just made for me?” or “what message are you getting from this story/paragraph?”
  • Don’t: ask steering questions. They are always answered affirmative. “is it clear that the real value-add of the software I’m talking about here is that it saves a lot of time from doing manual work?”

Weirdly formal?

• Our personal opinion here at Pearstop is that chat GPT (especially 4o) is great, really really great, but: if you use it for writing, it can be a bit on the awkward and formal side, using too many words. It’s actually ok for language to be simple.
• For example, this is how the AI continued this paragraph: “Try to blend the AI-generated content with your own voice to keep it natural and engaging. Your readers will appreciate the personal touch. This means not just taking what the AI gives you at face value but refining it to better match your style and tone.”
• Many people have reached the point by now that they recognise the AI writing: elaborate sentences, never just quickly to the point, 3rd-person perspective. Keep in mind what your objective is.
• Then, of course, there’s always a level of political correctness involved. Make sure to stick to facts that are easily retrievable - anything else really requires research, expert knowledge, and some responsibility from the author, be it “this is my research” or “this is my opinion”.

Conclusion

The way you write your prompt determines the quality of the results. Make sure to be clear about the topic, specify the context and audience, outline your goal, and specify the format plus any required details. Use the AI as an assistant, not as a creative mastermind who will do all your work for you.

Now.. compare this to the AI-written conclusion and tell us what you think. Writing a good AI prompt is an essential skill that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of AI tools like chat GPT. By focusing on clarity, context, specificity, conciseness, and relevance, you can guide the AI to produce more accurate and useful responses. Remember, AI is a powerful assistant, but it works best when given well-defined instructions. Whether you're using it for problem-solving, brainstorming, or writing, always ensure that your prompts are comprehensive and tailored to your specific needs. Happy prompting!

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