What is a prompt and how do you use one?
What is a prompt? It's a question that is being asked more and more now that artificial intelligence (AI) and tools such as Large Language Models (LLMs) are becoming more popular. In this knowledge base article you can read all about what a prompt is, how you can use prompts and why they matter so much.
What is a prompt?
Let's start with the basics: what is a prompt? A prompt is an input or instruction that triggers a response or action. You can think of it as a command you give to get a particular result. For example a question, a description or an instruction that you enter into an AI model such as ChatGPT.
The term prompt is not only used in AI, but also in everyday situations. Think of notifications on your phone asking you to enter a password. This is also called a prompt. Even so, this article is mainly about what a prompt means within AI applications.
What are prompts used for?
Prompts are versatile and are used in various applications, such as:
- AI tools: Think of generating text or images, or answering complex questions.
- Search engines: Here prompts are often used in the form of search queries.
- Creative processes: For example to generate ideas for a new project.
How do you write a good prompt?
Now that you know what a prompt is, it's important to learn how to write a good one. These are the most important elements:
- Context: Provide enough background information.
- Task: Make clear what you expect from the AI.
- Instruction: Give specific guidance on tone, style and length.
- Examples: If you add an example, your intention is often better understood.
An effective prompt could be, for example:
“How do I improve my customer service? Give five practical ways in which my business can use AI to answer customer questions faster and in a more personal way.”
“How do I improve my customer service? Give five practical ways in which my business can use AI to answer customer questions faster and in a more personal way.”
You can make this prompt even more specific by, for example, deepening it in the following way:
“We have received the following issue at our customer service [describe the problem between the brackets so that the AI knows this is the problem] How could we best explain our solution to this customer? We would like to offer the following solution: [Describe the solution between the brackets] “
Do make sure you never share sensitive customer information when working this way. If necessary, use first names only. To help you, we have written a blog about 20 prompt hacks for ChatGPT.
Common mistakes with prompts
Even if you know what a prompt is, you can still make mistakes when using one. These are common pitfalls:
- Vague instructions: Without clear guidelines, the AI may give the wrong output.
- Prompts that are too long: This can lead to confusion or unnecessary information.
- No structure: A poorly structured prompt often gives a weaker result.
To get the most out of your prompts, follow these guidelines:
- Make sure your prompt is clear and specific.
- Use examples or break complex tasks down into steps.
- Be aware of token limits, so that your prompt isn't cut off.
By knowing what a prompt is and how to use it correctly, you get better results from AI tools such as ChatGPT.
Need help with the right AI toolsets?
Now that you know the answer to the question “What is a prompt?”, you may be wondering how to put this to smart use for your business. At BE Digital we understand the power of AI and we help SMEs to use this technology to the full. A well-formulated prompt can, for example, improve your customer service, make campaigns more efficient and offer new insights for your digital strategy.
Curious where your business is missing opportunities? With our BE Digital scan we analyse your entire digital strategy. From SEA and SEO to CRO and AI implementation: we map out where optimisations are possible and how you can achieve more results. As experts in AI implementation for SMEs, we look specifically at how you can use smart tools to improve and speed up your processes. Request a no-obligation BE Digital scan today.