With the advent of artificial intelligence, you will surely also want to learn how to use it to improve your productivity and project performance. Here, one of the elements you need to master is the REQUEST. When you do this, you will be able to get the most out of any current or future AI.
Artificial Intelligence seems to understand the meaning of a word, but in reality it does not. To generate its answers, artificial intelligence relies on NLP (Natural Language Processing) and machine learning methods. Therefore, when we communicate with it, we must provide specific instructions (i.e. create a prompt).
Now, what is a prompt? What is needed? What elements should you include to create one that gives the result you expect? We will see all this in this post. Furthermore, I will reveal to you what some of the most popular and effective libraries are to save you time when using an AI.
What is a prompt?
AND REQUEST and he set of instructions given to an artificial intelligence to perform a task. In the case of AI like ChatGPT or Bard, which are based on an NLP algorithm, the prompt is the text or instruction that is entered into the typing bar to generate a response.
The term comes from English and is used in the field of computing to refer to commands that allow software to perform an action.
This concept has been transferred to the artificial intelligence environment because it has the same use, only that instead of commands in the programming language, the natural language with which humans usually communicate is used.
The potential of artificial intelligence is brutal. The important thing is to know how to “speak” to it so that it gives the answer you want. And, in this sense, the suggestion is the means you will use to communicate with her.
But artificial intelligence doesn’t do magic. It is not worth following any instructions. Writing a generic or poorly elaborated instruction will only lead to frustration. But don’t worry, you’ll soon learn how to create the perfect prompt.
What is a prompt for?
The prompt is intended for simplify the communication process among general users. That is, those who do not know and master the programming language and artificial intelligence.
Because, through everyday language, anyone can take advantage of these tools.
This in turn, allows for the diversification of the use of AIand can be used in almost any work area. As long as adequate instructions are provided.
Indeed, thanks to integration with other tools and the development of plugins, the capabilities of AI expand and instructions can become increasingly complex.
While the AI isn’t capable of customizing its response style for each user, at least so far the prompt is It is for your self-learning process.
This means that with each well-crafted instruction, the AI creates better connections between the data in its knowledge base and can gradually improve its answers.
What are the key elements that a good prompt should have?
There is no exact formula for creating prompts that applies to all content or all AI. However, there are general or basic elements that must be part of any effective set of instructions for communicating with AI.
1. Roll
To generate a more specific response, it’s a good idea to ask the AI to take on a role. This means you need to tell him how you want him to “think” when he responds.
In short, when you answer, you want him to think and answer as if he were a lawyer, doctor, electrician, copywriter, or digital marketing consultant, to name a few examples.
Additionally, you can also tell her how many years of professional experience she should have when creating her answer.
These details allow the AI to take on a role and identity that allows it to better relate the data in its knowledge base and generate answers better suited to your needs.
2. Context
The context serves to limit the answer to some more specific elements of the topic, thus preventing the AI from including unnecessary data.
It’s important to include these details because AI chatbots don’t really understand the exact meaning of words in all contexts, but instead use a statistics-based predictive system and learn to relate those terms in different environments.
This also applies to AIs that generate images and videos. Since the content is visual, the environment is essential to achieve the desired effect.
For example, if you use the instruction “create a picture of a clownfish”, the AI could place it in its natural habitat, but if you wanted it in an aquarium it won’t work. Then you have to ask him to draw it in an aquarium.
As you can see, context is part of the instructions you give to the AI, as it provides the details that allow the virtual bot to better understand the task it will perform.
3. Instructions
The most important element of all in a prompt is the specific instruction or task that the AI needs to solve.
This must be as explicit as possible, avoiding ambiguity and abstract terms, as these give rise to more possible answers and this means that more work needs to be done.
Additionally, the instructions must be concise for the AI. Remember that too many words can cause the system to create an incorrect list of terms and generate an inaccurate response. It’s best to be explicit and brief in your instructions.
Try to provide as much detail as possible: from the length, to the tone of voice, to the term to use or prohibited words, to the format in which you want the information to be presented (table, text, graphics, bullet points…)
4. Example or reference (if possible)
Using examples or references further refines the AI’s response, giving it something to draw from and a parameter to link terms in its knowledge base to.
It is true that not all instructions require an example, but in those that do it is very convenient to use them.
Continuing with the example of creating a clownfish in an aquarium, you could refer to Nemo if you want it to seem friendly and childish.
While the AI doesn’t see Nemo the way we humans do, it can make a correlation between the character’s terms in the movie and what you’re requesting.
Immediate practical example
I ask ChatGPT to tell me what elements he thinks the perfect prompt should have. And this is his response:
As you can see, it touches on the main points that we saw previously, although there is one detail that I didn’t mention that is important to highlight.
The importance of iterating instructions
The term “repeat” refers to the action of repeatedly repeating or executing a series of instructions, processes, or actions, usually in a loop.
When it comes to programming, iteration It’s a fundamental concept. For example, in a loop of a computer program, the instructions within the loop are executed over and over again until an exit condition is satisfied.
In summary, repeated involves performing an action over and over again, usually with small variations in each repetitionuntil a specific condition is met or a goal is achieved.
Taking this definition into account, we must understand that the perfect education is not normally obtained the first time and it is normal to have to rethink the application, add new additional requirements or restrict some aspects of the context (of course, once achieved, keep it to yourself, for always have it at hand).
Following the previous example, if I wanted to further limit or refine the answer, I could modify the previous prompt or provide other instructions that help improve the result we already have.
Repeat the statement
This time I’ll tell him just give me 5 keys, but as I told you in 300 words, now it goes further by explaining each point. See how it works?
Tip librariesTake advantage of the instructions that others have created!
Along with the popularity of AI is the growth of tools and platforms that help make it easier to use. Among these are prompt libraries. Here are some of the most popular.
PROMPTPAL
Promptal is a website where you can find a large archive of instructions for different AIs. The commands are grouped by theme and by platform, i.e. by AI. But you can also search by author profile and follow the ones you like the most.
The operation is simple, you just need to find the AI prompt you intend to use, select it and copy the text. Then, paste it into the AI writing bar. Promptpal has a Pro version with more features and other benefits, as well as features for businesses.
AIPRM
AIPRM is a Google Chrome extension focused on enterprise users, such as startups, SMBs, and large enterprises.
The plugin offers instructions divided into 5 categories: Sales, Customer Service, Writing, Marketing, and Productivity.
In each section there are specific areas where you can get specialized commands.
It doesn’t have a freemium version, so you’ll have to bargain for one of the packages. Of course, each plan has different benefits focused on specific needs due to the size of the team.
PromptStacks
PromptStacks is a quick engineering platform where you can find thousands of community-created prompts. Each user registers and can upload their own success stories, i.e. the order they used and the response the AI gave them.
On PromptStacks you can train yourself as a professional in rapid AI engineering and perfect your skills. You can also browse the community, receive ratings and comments, and rate and comment on others’ instructions.
Tips from ordinary people
Ordinary People Prompts is a website where you will find a huge archive of instructions of all types.
It is one of the most diverse libraries in terms of topics, so you will have to do intensive research to find the ideal education. Its functioning is like that of a forum with a very active and dynamic community.
Trello
Trello is a great project management tool that recently added a repository of AI tips, such as ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and MidJourney.
The instructions are simple, but have good potential. Each is accompanied by the result it generated in the AI. This way you can visualize what you can achieve with them.
The repository is short, just over 100 instructions, but if you use the platform in your company, you can get more out of it because many focus on productivity. You can also view suggestions by creator, in case you like a particular style.
Conclusion
The prompt is a crucial element in the correct use of artificial intelligence. That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to create them using the four key elements I’ve shown you in this article. You can combine them with your skills to get the results you need.
If you are new to using AI, don’t hesitate to use one of the libraries I recommended. You will find great suggestions on those platforms. This will allow you to increase your productivity and that of your work team.
Do you have the courage to leave us a hint of your inspiration in the comments?
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