Ariyas Reginl

Best Practices for AI Task Prompts

AI Task Prompts are the instructions you give to an augmented intelligence (AI) tool to complete a particular task. They can be used to ask the AI to generate content, solve a problem, interpret data, or simulate a customer response. The best prompts use richness and specificity to steer AI interaction, with the former providing context and the latter zooming in on a clear-cut instruction that leaves no room for ambiguity.
To help you create prompts that are effective for your particular use case, we’ve assembled a list of the best practices for AI prompt engineering. While these will vary slightly based on the AI tools you’re working with, most of these general principles apply across the board.
Richness & Specificity
The first factor in prompt effectiveness is richness, which relates to the amount of background information provided to the AI. A prompt without adequate context is like asking Da Vinci to paint a portrait blindfolded. This includes defining the goal of the prompt, using clear and concise language, and providing examples. Framing is also important, as it helps the AI understand your intent more clearly by clarifying the scope of the work.

Specificity refers to the precision of your prompt. A prompt that’s overly vague will leave the AI to fill in the blanks with its own assumptions, which are often incorrect. A prompt that’s too vague can also overstimulate the AI, which it’s not designed to multitask. This can result in a long, drawn-out conversation or even an error.