How AI works · how to talk to it
Prompt
30-second gist~30s read
A prompt is what you type to an AI to get an answer. The same question, worded differently, can produce wildly different answers. The AI isn't reading your mind — it's predicting from your exact words.
Two short rules go a long way: be specific (about what, for whom, how long) and show, don't tell (give an example of what good looks like).
If you want more
Why wording matters so much
The model produces words based on the exact sequence you fed in. "Write a poem about Auckland" gives one answer; "Write a short, gentle, four-line poem about Auckland in autumn, for a homesick friend" gives a much better one.
Three things change the answer most: who you say it's for (kid, lawyer, my mum), the format you ask for (bullet list, three paragraphs, a table), and any examples you provide of the style you want.
Patterns that usually help
- "Explain this like I'm a beginner." Drops the jargon.
- "Step by step." Forces it to show its working — and to slow down.
- "As a [doctor / lawyer / teacher], explain…" Sets the register.
- "Give me three options." Stops the AI converging on one bland answer.
- "What might I be missing?" A surprisingly useful follow-up.