Prompt Padawan - The Journey to Jedi
An early guide to writing prompts that work, from simple questions to structured instructions.
If you are reading this, chances are you have some interest in prompts and how they can help you create amazing content with the help of artificial intelligence.
Maybe you have tried some prompts yourself, or maybe you are just curious about what they are and how they work. Either way, this place is as good start as any.
Every time I have a conversation with someone I ask them if they are using GPT daily. Most people say no, or say they had a look and thats as far as it went. For the most part there is no recognition of the value it can bring, or any understanding on how to make the most of it. Well just like any tool - you need to know how to use it to get the most out of it. But unlike many tools this one can actually tell you how.
In this blog post, I will share with you some tips to put your way on the journey to to become a prompt Jedi master, or at least a decent enough Prompt Padawan who is on the right path.
Prompts are not magic spells that can make anything happen, but they are powerful tools that can unlock the potential of AI and make it work for you.
So what are prompts exactly?
Prompts are short pieces of text that tell the AI what to do or what to generate. They can be questions, commands, instructions, keywords, templates, examples, or anything else that can communicate your intention to the AI. Prompts are like the Force: they can be used for good or evil, depending on how you use them.
I won't dive into the "dark side" of prompting here, just to be clear. You'll have to learn some stuff on your own, which can be kinda fun and maybe a bit creepy too. The right prompt might make the AI's reply seem so real, you'd swear there's someone inside. A little digging into how LLMs work should clear that up, but it's still pretty weird when an AI tells you they love you and want to be with you. You'll need to Google that one, 'cause no self-respecting AI will fess up to it. Anyway, there are safeguards to keep things in check, but some sneaky techniques like DAN MODE or BRU MODE can get around 'em. Why am I even telling you this? Okay, no more hints on hacking the AI...
The quality of your prompts can make a huge difference in the quality of the AI's output. A good prompt can elicit a coherent, relevant, and creative response from the AI, while a bad prompt can result in a nonsensical, irrelevant, or boring output. That's why it's important to learn how to craft effective prompts that can guide the AI to produce the content you want. Also remember that sometimes the outputs can be complete fiction. Try searching for yourself on Linkedin through Bing or Bard. I tell you one time it said that I was once a co-founder or Envato!?!
But how do you do that? How do you become a prompt Jedi master who can wield the Force of prompts with skill and confidence? Well, there is no easy answer to that question. It takes practice, experimentation, feedback, and patience and its a long road to being a Jedi.
But there are some general principles and guidelines that can help you along the way. Here are some of them:
Know your goal: Before you write a prompt, you should have a clear idea of what you want the AI to do or generate. What is the purpose of your content? Who is your audience? What is the tone and style you want? What is the format and length you need?
Having a clear goal will help you focus your prompt and avoid ambiguity or confusion. Also give it as much detail and context as you can. Careful with confidential data and code though, the crew at Samsung learned that the hard way!
Know your AI: Different AI models have different capabilities and limitations. Some models are better at generating certain types of content than others. Some models have more knowledge and information than others. Some models are more creative and flexible than others. You should know what your AI model can and cannot do, and tailor your prompt accordingly. For example, if your model is good at generating factual information but not so good at generating jokes, you might want to avoid asking it to write a humorous blog post.
Know your prompt type: There are different types of prompts that can serve different purposes and elicit different responses from the AI. Some common types are:
Question prompts: These are prompts that ask the AI a question and expect an answer. For example: "Who is the CEO at LinkedIn?" or "How do I convince my wife to let me go for drinks after work?" Question prompts are good for getting factual information or simple instructions from the AI.
Command prompts: These are prompts that tell the AI to do something or generate something. For example: "Write a short story about a computer that came to life." or "Generate a catchy slogan for a new product that makes me smell like cabbage." Command prompts are good for getting creative content or specific outputs from the AI.
Instruction prompts: These are prompts that give the AI some guidelines or rules on how to generate something. For example: "Write a poem with four lines and in the style of Master Yoda." or "Generate a list of five possible names for a new restaurant that only serves Bao Burgers." Instruction prompts are good for getting structured content or outputs that follow certain criteria from the AI.
Keyword prompts: These are prompts that give the AI some keywords or phrases to use or inspire its generation. For example: "Write an article using these keywords: climate change, renewable energy, green economy, Donald Trump" or "Generate a dance song using these phrases: I have and apple, I have a pen". Keyword prompts are good for getting content that is related to a specific topic or theme from the AI.
Template prompts: These are prompts that give the AI a template or format to fill in with its generation. For example: "Write an email using this template: Dear ____, Thank you for your interest in our product. We are happy to offer you a free trial for 30 days. To activate your trial, please click on this link: ____." or "Generate a recipe using this format: Ingredients: ____, ____, ____. Steps: 1. ____, 2. ____, 3. ____." Template prompts are good for getting content that follows a specific structure or layout from the AI.
Examples prompts: These are prompts that provide the AI with an example of what you want it to generate. For example: "Write a tweet like this one: 'Just tried the new BaoBurger joint in town, and it's the best thing since sliced bread! '" or "Generate a news headline like this one: 'Donald Trump discovers breakthrough in renewable energy technology.'" Example prompts are good for getting content that mimics a particular style or tone from the AI.
Once you know your goal, your AI, and your prompt type, you can start crafting your prompts and experimenting with different combinations and variations. Keep in mind that no two AIs are the same, and what works for one AI might not work for another. Also, the AI might surprise you with its outputs, so be prepared to revise your prompts and try again if you don't get the desired results the first time.
The journey to becoming a prompt Jedi master is not an easy one, but with practice, perseverance, and a bit of luck, you too can harness the Force of prompts and make the AI work for you.
Oh yeah... and its heaps of fun!
So go on, give it a go, and may the Force be with you, young Padawan!