Basics of an AI Prompt and Commands to Start With

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool capable of performing many different tasks, but only if you know how to tell it what you want with an AI prompt. These commands should be written in a way that's clear, detailed, and direct. Thankfully, because modern generative AI tools, like Bard and ChatGPT, are designed with natural-language processing capabilities, you don't need to learn any complicated coding languages to create an AI prompt: Commands are written in plain language, meaning that just about anyone can make their own prompts. For example, if you want an AI to tell you when the Revolutionary War began, you would simply type in, "Tell me when the Revolutionary War began." However, the more complex of a response you require from the AI, the more complicated your prompt can become.

Tips for Writing an AI Prompt

• Be clear and specific.
• Phrase your prompt as a command, not a question.
• Specify the style and size of the output you want.
• Add necessary context to the prompt.
• Modify your prompt as needed if you do not get the desired outcome.

Sample AI Prompts

Commands for Office Professionals

• Compose an introductory email to a potential client, highlighting our company's services and expertise. Our services include [services].
• Generate a press release announcing our latest product launch. Our product is called [product name], it is releasing on [launch date], and it will [function and features].
• Provide a concise summary of the market trends for the past year in the [industry type] industry.

Prompts for Educators

• Explain the concept of [concept] in terms understandable to [level] students, highlighting its key points.
• Provide an example of a literary device used in Shakespeare's plays and explain its significance.
• Describe the causes and effects of climate change on the global ecosystem.

AI Prompts Just for Fun

• Tell me a whimsical fairy tale about a mischievous cat and a magical forest.
• Create a dialogue between two famous historical figures discussing current technology.
• Invent a superhero with unique powers and a compelling backstory.