Prompt Instructions — Build your own prompts
What are prompts?
The term ‘prompt’ has become indispensable in the world of AI since the launch of the AI chatbot ChatGPT. A prompt is a type of instruction or question that you direct to an AI system to generate a specific answer or output. These prompts vary greatly in complexity, from simple commands that ask an AI model to generate a specific piece of text to complicated sentences that aim to elicit creative or analytical responses from more advanced models like ChatGPT. The art of creating effective prompts lies not only in understanding how AI works, but also in how we formulate the request precisely to get the desired result.
Why is the art of prompting becoming increasingly relevant?
Prompts are becoming increasingly important when it comes to successfully interacting with or using AI systems. They are the primary means by which we interact with AI models, from simple chatbots to complex systems capable of generating text, creating images or even composing music. In an environment where interacting with AI is becoming more and more intuitive, prompts play a crucial role in shaping these experiences. They enable us to control and adapt the enormous processing power of AI systems, such as ChatGPT or SwissGPT, so that individual, creative and, above all, useful results can be achieved. The better you master the capabilities of the prompt, the more successful your ‘collaboration’ with AI tools will be.
What are the possible applications of prompts?
The variety of prompts and their applications in AI tools is remarkable and reflects the flexibility of modern AI systems. Text-based prompts, as used in ChatGPT, SwissGPT or other text generation models, allow us to ask questions, generate creative stories or even write code. Image-based prompts in models like DALL·E or comparable image generation tools open up the possibility of creating visual content by describing scenes, objects or even moods. In addition, AI tools that can respond to acoustic prompts are used in music and audio production to compose new pieces of music or soundscapes. Furthermore, prompts can even be used in the field of software engineering. For example, for code reviews or to generate entire lines of code.
What makes a good prompt?
Best practices for prompts
Creating effective prompts is an art that requires both clarity and creativity to get the desired results from an AI. A basic best practice is precision of wording. A well-thought-out prompt should be specific enough to give the AI a clear direction, but not so narrow as to limit the AI’s creative or analytical abilities. For example, a prompt for a text generation model should not only specify the topic, but also take into account the desired tone, style and length of the response. This can be done by using adjectives that set the tone (e.g. humorous, serious, informative), by specifying a specific format (e.g. a dialogue, a letter, a blog post) or by introducing a particular perspective or context. Furthermore, it is important to adapt the prompt to the skills and knowledge level of the AI model. Understanding what the AI can do based on its training and data allows you to formulate prompts that achieve realistic and achievable results.
Avoiding misunderstandings
To avoid misunderstandings between the user’s intention and the AI’s interpretation, it is crucial to minimise ambiguity in the prompt. Common mistakes arise when prompts are too open or vague, causing the AI to generate answers that don’t meet our expectations. It helps to clearly define the desired answer or goal before entering a prompt and to structure the prompt accordingly. Using contextual information within the prompt can also help improve the accuracy of the AI’s answers. For example, including background information or explicitly instructing the AI to ignore or consider certain sources of information can increase the relevance and precision of the generated content. Finally, it is important to learn by experimenting and adapting. By analysing the AI’s responses to different formulations of the same prompt, we can develop a deeper understanding of how its word choice influences the results and thus refine our own abilities to create effective prompts.
With the prompt guide — step by step to the perfect prompt
What is the prompt engineering cheat sheet?
Together with Julius Oberli, I have created a step-by-step guide to creating comprehensive prompts over the past few weeks. Our so-called prompt engineering cheat sheet guides you in six steps to the perfect and successful prompt.
Our Cheat Sheet for Prompt Engineering is the ideal tool to optimise your interactions with tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. In 12 pages, we provide a wealth of examples, extensive tips and best practices, and inspiration to help you create precise and effective prompts. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, this cheat sheet will help you increase efficiency and get the most out of LLM interactions.
As shown in the picture, a good prompt is divided into three main parts — essential, important and nice to have. In some cases, the nice to have section can be omitted.
More details on the following 12 pages.
What prior knowledge do I need for the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet?
The Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet is a total of 12 pages long and is explained so simply and in such detail that you don’t need any prior knowledge. To use the prompts, you then just need easy access to tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini or SwissGPT. Most of these tools offer free accounts. This way, you can use newly created prompts directly.
Does the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet work with all AI tools?
Yes, the prompt engineering cheat sheet is tool-independent. No matter which AI tool you use, the art of prompting is becoming increasingly important. We deliberately developed our prompt engineering cheat sheet independently of a specific tool or language model.
By the way, if you are interested in AI tools in more depth, you can also take a look at our AI master class.
How do I get the prompt engineering cheat sheet?
You can download the prompt engineering cheat sheet by clicking on the button below. The prompt engineering cheat sheet is a PDF document that you can use on your laptop or on the go with your smartphone or tablet.
Buy Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet for CHF 30
* You can also hear even more tips from Julius Oberli in our joint podcast episode #111. The episode is more about the use of tools like ChatGPT in the everyday lives of students and people in further education.
More useful tips
Would you like more support with your AI project? Then hopefully these offers are just right for you.
Generative AI Talk
Particularly suitable for creating a general understanding of the topic of artificial intelligence.
Generative AI Workshop
Particularly suitable for teams that want to develop their first use cases directly in the workshop.
Starter Coaching
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