Artificial intelligence has completely changed the world of technology in unimaginable ways. It's getting integrated into almost every aspect of our life. Generative AI is one of the popular technologies to create different types of content. Text, image, video, code, and whatnot. You name it, and generative AI is there to assist you. But, using it correctly is a bit tricky. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are used by millions of people across the globe. But, are they using it to its full potential? Probably not! Most users are underutilizing the power of these generative AI tools. The culprit is poorly crafted prompts.
In this tutorial, we'll learn about creating effective prompts to get the desired results from these generative AI tools. Though it's a simple process, one needs some experience to master it.
The principles and guidelines mentioned below apply to any such AI tool. Once you have the framework in mind, generating prompts gets easier and easier with time. Let's get started!
1. Identify Your Goal and Objective
The foundation of creating a good prompt is to define the goal in precise terms. There should be no ambiguity in what you want from the prompt.
Here are some of the critical factors to consider while starting the prompt creation process.
- Identify the type of outcome viz., text, image, or code.
- Where do you want to use it?
- Are there any alternatives to consider?
- Is it abstract or a real-world entity?
- Is there a scope to define it precisely?
Once you have answered these questions, you are in a good position to move on to the next step. Clarity in mind, when it comes to visualizing the end goal, makes the prompt creation process—much easier.
2. Be Specific About the Desired Output
Now that you have defined the goal, specify and structure and general attributes of the result. This helps you make the AI tool understand the details of the output at a later stage.
For example, if it's text output, some of the questions to ask yourself are:
- Is it a headline, a sentence, a short paragraph, or a long piece of text?
- Is it an article, a post title, a technical specification, or something else?
- Is it for an average viewer or a tech-savvy audience?
Let's take an example of an image. If we're generating an image through an AI tool, some of the questions to ask yourself are:
- Is it an abstract image or a real-world entity?
- Do I want a vector illustration, a doodle, an anime image, or an oil painting?
- Is it an NSFW image? Most AI tools will reject creating such an image.
These two examples can give you an outline of what it means when it comes to clearly specifying the type of output we want from the AI tool. Let's move on to the next step.
3. Understand Limitations and Guidelines
No matter how good you think you are at creating effective prompts, they are limited to the capabilities of the AI platform you're using at a given moment. That's one of the important factors to consider while creating prompts.
Here's how to ensure you understand the limitations of the AI platform you're using.
- Read the help docs.
- Be aware if the data is limited up to a certain date in the past.
- Be aware of the dos and don’ts while creating prompts.
- Follow the generic best practices advised in the help docs.
The second point mentioned in the list is important to know from the end-user's perspective. Take your time in understanding the limitations of the generative AI system you're using.
4. Provide Detailed and Unambiguous Instructions
Now comes the critical part of crafting the actual prompt. Remember, most of the time, you may not be able to create the best one on your first attempt. Let's see how to approach this process.
- Starting with writing a rough draft in one go.
- Divide it into multiple chunks.
- Rewrite every chunk emphasizing the details.
- Reunite these chunks and you're good to go.
The instructions included in the prompt should be precise. This precision comes with practice. The bottom line is to divide a large prompt into multiple chunks and then work on each of these chunks.
5. Apply Context and Use Keywords
Sometimes, the text required in the prompt is not in black and white. This often happens when we're looking for a long piece of descriptive text from the AI tool. Here's how to approach it.
- Focus on the context and explain it in detail.
- Use the prime keywords or key phrases to further enhance it.
- Include behavioral and emotional text patterns, if required.
- If required, use a list to explain the context.
This only applies in situations where you're looking to generate content that requires more than just a precise one-liner instruction. It takes some time to master this art.
6. Test, Iterate, and Refine
As I said before, creating good prompts is an art that one learns with time. You cannot be an expert in any domain, right from day one. Crafting perfect prompts for generative AI involves the following process.
- Start with testing with your first raw draft.
- Add more context, if needed.
- Always check for grammatical errors.
- Replace key phrases with the new ones.
- Keep on refining till you get the desired output.
Remember, iterating and refining prompts is the key to getting better at generating desired content through generative AI tools. The more you do it correctly, the more you get the best results.
Crafting Prompts for DALL-Ex System (Image Creation)
Now, let's start with some real-world examples of prompts. We'll start with image creation through the DALL-Ex AI tool. It's free-to-use and works flawlessly—if done correctly.
The recipe to create perfect prompts for the DALL-Ex system is to follow the structure mentioned below.
Adjective + Noun + Verb + Style = Your desired Image
Here are some examples of following this pattern. Note that the image style is separated by a comma.
- Prompt: Furry bear drinking soda, doodle with colorful background.
- Prompt: Pancake with honey drizzling from the top, vector illustration.
- Prompt: A forest pathway with a foggy environment, oil painting.
Pay attention to the image styles mentioned at the end of every prompt. These style descriptions play an important part in generating the type of image you want from the AI tool. Test and discover all the styles you can use with this powerful image creation system.
Crafting Prompts for ChatGPT and Bard
Prompts created for these tools are generally much longer and more complex. They can span multiple lines divided into several sentences. Let's see a template required for creating such prompts.
Here's a basic skeleton to craft such prompts.
Context + output's traits or attributes + specifics and tweaks for the output
Let's apply it and see what we get. Here we go!
Prompt: I'm looking to create a math question paper for 10th-grade students. This paper is focused on quadratic equations. Assume you are a teacher. Create a paper with 10 questions about quadratic equations focused on 10th-grade students. Make sure each question can be solved in approximately 5 minutes.
In this example, the first 3 sentences are all about context and environment to set the stage. The next sentence specifies the desired output's primary attributes and features. And, the last sentence focuses on the specifics of that output.
Let's see one more example.
Prompt: I'm in a bulking phase and looking to gain around 20 pounds of lean mass in a reasonable time. I also have a home gym with an incline-decline bench, a dumbbell set, and a barbell with weight plates. My weight is 72 kg and I'm 32 years old. Create a monthly intense weight training program to achieve my goals along with the monthly diet plan.
Once again, the prompt starts with setting the stage for the desired output. It can be further expanded by giving key body metrics and asking to give a diet plan in a more detailed fashion. Remember, the more information you give to the AI engine, the more it'll be in a position to give you the desired output.
Conclusion
Generative AI tools are one of the best ways to increase your productivity and solve your daily life problems. All you need is the knowledge and technique to harness the power of these tools.
If you're good at creating prompts for the generative AI tools, you can generate the exact output you desire. And, the ability to create such result-oriented prompts is nothing—but a skill—that requires you to combine both logic and experience.
Follow the best practices for creating such prompts and you're good to go.