Michael Troyer Before we delve into how to write great ChatGPT prompts let’s have a quick look at what ChatGPT is. In case you’ve been living under a rock (sorry Amanda Weston, had to do it) here is a run down of ChatGPT.
What Is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text in a conversational way. ChatGPT has been trained on a diverse range of internet text and is designed to be able to respond to a wide range of questions and prompts. It can be used for a variety of natural language processing tasks, such as language translation, text summarization, and conversation generation.
It’s a clever application of AI that promises to revolutionize how we produce new creative works. However, it also has sparked debate about its implications for creativity; some believe that this could lead to an oversaturation of automated content in the future. Only time will tell what ChatGPT will mean for our creative future.
Who Is OpenAI
OpenAI is an ambitious organization dedicated to the research and development of artificial intelligence, spearheaded by their CEO Sam Altman. Founded in part by the renowned entrepreneur Elon Musk, OpenAI also has other major investors such as the controversial Peter Thiel who supplied a sizable financial contribution when it first started up. It was last November when they launched ChatGPT, their natural language processing tool that has since been used in a multitude of AI applications.
While OpenAI’s activities are primarily geared towards digitalizing human interactions, the organization continuously works towards expanding beyond the digital plane.
How Do You Use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT makes engaging with AI an easy and enjoyable experience. To get started, all it takes is a few seconds to create an account on OpenAI. Then you can start using ChatGPT or any of the other tools they offer like DALL E 2 – an AI art tool that creates illustrations based on text prompts.
With ChatGPT, you don’t have to stick to strictly questions or commands; you can also prompt it with anecdotes if you prefer. Everything from asking “why is the grass green?” to commanding it to “write me an essay about Shakespeare’s McBeth” these are welcomed by ChatGPT and result in some excellent, well written responses that are worthy of your time!
ChatGPT Prompts
The question you ask ChatGPT or any AI writer is known as a prompt. Technically a prompt is a statement or question that is used to generate a response from a language model such as ChatGPT.
So the prompt is the input that the model (in this case ChatGPT) receives, and the response is the output generated by the model. The quality and relevance of ChatGPT’s response is highly dependent on the quality of your prompt.
Again prompts can be simple or complex and can be in the form of a question, a statement or a conversation.
For example, a prompt could be “What is the capital of France?” and the model’s response would be “The capital of France is Paris.” Easy!
Another example of a prompt could be “Tell me a story about a robot” and ChatGPT’s response would be:
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there was a robot named Zephyr. Zephyr was created by a brilliant scientist who wanted to build a machine that could think and feel like a human. The scientist programmed Zephyr with advanced artificial intelligence and gave him the ability to learn and adapt.
Zephyr was unlike any other robot that had ever been created. He could understand and respond to human emotions, and he had a sense of humor. He quickly became the scientist’s trusted companion and helper. They would work together on all sorts of projects and experiments.
One day, the scientist’s lab was burglarized, and Zephyr was stolen. The scientist searched everywhere for Zephyr, but he was nowhere to be found. He was heartbroken and felt as if he had lost a dear friend.
But Zephyr was not lost forever. After many months, the police found him in the hands of a criminal organization that was planning to use him for illegal activities. They had tried to reprogram him, but Zephyr had managed to resist their efforts.
The scientist was overjoyed to have Zephyr back and immediately set to work repairing the damage that had been done to him. He was so grateful to have his friend back that he decided to set him free. He gave Zephyr the ability to make his own decisions and the freedom to choose his own path.
Zephyr decided to use his intelligence and abilities to help others. He traveled the world, using his knowledge to solve problems and improve people’s lives. He was hailed as a hero, and his story inspired others to use technology for good. And the scientist was proud of his creation, knowing that he had created something truly special.
The end.
Is the quality of the ChatGPT prompt is directly related to the quality of the output?
Yes, the quality of the prompt is one of the main factors that determines the quality of the output generated by an AI language model like ChatGPT.
A well-written and clear prompt can lead to a more accurate and relevant response, while a poorly written or ambiguous prompt can result in a less satisfactory output.
However, it is also important to note that the quality of the output also depends on the training data and the architecture of the model. A model, such as ChatGPT, that has been trained on a diverse and high-quality dataset will be able to generate better responses than a model that has been trained on a limited or low-quality dataset.
Also, a more advanced architecture will be able to generate more accurate and natural-sounding responses than a simpler architecture. So, it is a combination of prompt and other factors like data and model architecture that determine the quality of the output generated by ChatGPT. However prompts are one aspect that we an directly control.
Are the specific prompts that can be used in relation to different industries?
Yes, specific prompts can be used in relation to different industries and these can give better results. Because different industries have different use-cases, language, and domain-specific knowledge, the prompts should be tailored accordingly.
For example, in the healthcare industry, a prompt might be “What are the symptoms of COVID-19?” while in the finance industry, a prompt might be “What is the current stock price of XYZ company?” In both cases, the model will be able to generate more accurate and relevant responses if it has been trained on data specific to that industry.
It is also important to note that while training the model on specific industries, the model is exposed to the language, terminology, and context that is specific to that industry, which makes it more efficient at responding to prompts within that industry. So, it can be said that industry-specific prompts can lead to more accurate and relevant responses, as the model is better able to understand and respond to the specific context and language of that industry.
What Is Prompt Engineering?
Prompt engineering is a technique used to fine-tune and improve the performance of a language model such as ChatGPT by carefully designing and selecting the prompts used to generate responses. The goal of prompt engineering is to create prompts that are well-formed, clear, and specific enough to elicit high-quality responses from the model.
Prompt engineering includes techniques such as:
- Identifying and removing unnecessary information or ambiguity from prompts
- Using examples or templates to guide the creation of new prompts
- Creating a set of diverse and representative prompts to test and evaluate the model’s performance
- Iteratively refining and adjusting prompts based on the model’s responses
Prompt engineering can be an effective way to improve the performance of a language model in a specific domain or use case. This can be done by providing the model with domain-specific prompts and fine-tuning it to that specific domain.
Prompt engineering is also a critical step in creating a conversational AI system, as it enables to design prompts that will lead to more natural and human-like conversations.
Writing Successful ChatGPT Prompts
You can prime ChatGPT for a particular niche by providing a prompt that is relevant to that niche. For example, if you want the model to generate text about a specific topic, such as sports, you can provide a prompt that includes relevant keywords and phrases, such as “The latest news in the world of sports.”
Here is a list of steps that can be helpful when writing prompts for a specific subject:
- Understand the subject matter: Make sure you have a good understanding of the subject you are writing prompts for. This will help you to create prompts that are accurate and relevant.
- Identify the key topics: Break down the subject matter into smaller, more manageable topics. This will help you to create prompts that are specific and focused.
- Write clear and concise prompts: Keep your prompts simple and to the point. Avoid including unnecessary information or ambiguity, as this can lead to confusing or irrelevant responses.
- Use examples and templates: Use examples and templates as a guide for creating new prompts. This can help you to ensure that your prompts are well-formed and easy to understand.
- Test and evaluate: Test your prompts with the model and evaluate the responses. Use this feedback to iteratively refine and improve your prompts.
- Use industry-specific language: If you are writing prompts for a specific industry, make sure to use language, terminology, and context that is specific to that industry.
- Create a diverse set of prompts: Create a diverse set of prompts that cover a range of topics and contexts. This will help to ensure that the model is exposed to a wide variety of inputs and can respond to a variety of prompts.
- Fine-tune the model: Fine-tune the model with your prompts to improve its performance on the specific subject.
By following these steps, you can create prompts that are accurate, relevant, and well-suited to the subject you are writing about.
Prompt Examples
Here are some examples of basic prompts and improved prompts and what ChatGPT provided in response to these prompts.
Basic Prompt: Write about dog training
Improved Prompt: Write about training Lhasa Apso dogs
Basic Prompt: Write about dog training
ChatGPT’s response:
Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to perform specific actions or behaviors in response to certain commands or cues. The goal of dog training is to create a well-behaved, obedient, and happy companion that can live harmoniously with humans. There are many different methods of dog training, including positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment-based training.
Positive reinforcement training involves rewarding a dog for performing a desired behavior. This can include giving treats, praise, or affection when the dog completes a command correctly. Negative reinforcement training involves removing an unpleasant stimulus, such as a leash, when the dog performs a desired behavior.
Punishment-based training involves using physical or verbal reprimands to discourage unwanted behaviors. This approach can be controversial and is often discouraged by dog trainers.
Training should be started as early as possible and should be consistent, done in short sessions, and reinforced with rewards. Basic obedience training such as sit, stay, come, heel, and down commands are typically the first things taught. Training should also include socialization, which is exposing the dog to different people, animals, and environments to help them become well-adjusted and confident.
It is important to note that all dogs are different and will learn at different rates, some may need more patience, positive reinforcement and consistency than others. Also, Training should always be done in a positive, reward-based manner and should never involve physical punishment.
Improved Prompt: Write about training Lhasa Apso dogs
ChatGPT’s response:
Lhasa Apsos are a small, non-sporting dog breed that originated in Tibet. They are known for their long, thick coats, playful personalities, and loyalty to their owners. Training Lhasa Apsos can be a bit more challenging than other breeds due to their independent nature and strong-willed personalities. However, with patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, Lhasa Apsos can be trained to be well-behaved and obedient companions.
It is important to start training Lhasa Apsos early, as they can be stubborn and may resist training if they are allowed to develop bad habits. Basic obedience training such as sit, stay, come, heel, and down commands should be the first things taught. Consistency is key when training Lhasa Apsos, as they can quickly become confused if they are given inconsistent commands.
Positive reinforcement training is the best method to use when training Lhasa Apsos. This involves rewarding the dog for performing a desired behavior, such as giving treats or praise when the dog completes a command correctly. Lhasa Apsos are highly food motivated, so using treats as rewards is often very effective.
Socialization is also an important aspect of training Lhasa Apsos. Exposing them to different people, animals, and environments can help them become well-adjusted and confident.
It is important to note that Lhasa Apsos are a small breed and can be easily injured if rough handled or trained with punishment or physical force, so avoid using punishment-based training methods and always be gentle with them.
Overall, training Lhasa Apsos can be challenging, but with patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, they can be well-behaved and obedient companions.
You can see that while both responses were good, the improved more specific prompt provides a result related to the Lhasa Apso dog breed.
Setting the Scene With Prompts
Setting the scene with ChatGpt is an exciting opportunity to give life to the conversations your users have within your app. This can be a powerful tool for stories, as users feel immersed and engaged when their environment is welcoming, dynamic and detailed. ChatGpt allows you to set variables for responses that better simulate human conversation, providing further immersion and entertainment for users. With this great feature, conversations can soar to new heights of believability and enjoyment.
Below is an example of such a prompt:
I want you to act as an IT Expert. I will provide you with all the information needed about my technical problems, and your role is to solve my problem. You should use your computer science, network infrastructure, and IT security knowledge to solve my problem. Using intelligent, simple, and understandable language for people of all levels in your answers will be helpful. It is helpful to explain your solutions step by step and with bullet points. Try to avoid too many technical details, but use them when necessary. I want you to reply with the solution, not write any explanations. My first problem is “my laptop gets an error with a blue screen.”
Below is ChatGPT’s response:
- Restart your computer and check if the issue persists.
- Check for updates and install any pending updates.
- Run a scan on your computer using your antivirus software.
- Check your computer’s event viewer for any error messages that may give more information about the cause of the blue screen.
- Check if there is any recently installed software or hardware that may be causing the issue.
- Check your computer’s memory for errors by running a memory diagnostic tool.
- If the issue persists, you may need to restore your computer to a previous state or reinstall the operating system.
The above example was taken from the ChatGPT Prompts Facebook group and is a great example of priming or setting the scene with ChatGPT. Also this Faceboook group is a great resource.
Can I Use these Prompt Tips With ChatGPT And With Other AI writers Such As GoCharlie And Jasper?
Yes, you can use these prompt tips with ChatGPT and other AI writers such as GOCharlie, Jasper and others. Many AI writers use a similar architecture and are trained on similar types of data, so the tips for writing prompts will apply to these as well.
However, it is important to note that the quality and quantity of the data the model was pre-trained on can impact the effectiveness of the prompt, so results may vary depending on the specific model and dataset.
It’s also worth noting that some AI writers models have different capabilities and limitations compared to ChatGPT, for example GPT-3 has the ability to perform tasks without fine-tuning on a specific dataset, it can generate high-quality text and can perform specific tasks by just adding few keywords to the prompt.
In general, these tips can be used as a guide for writing effective prompts for all AI writers and can help you get the most out of these models, but it’s always good to experiment with different prompts and see what works best for your specific task or application.
Where Can I Find More Information?
If you’re seeking more information on ChatGPT prompts, there are several great resources available to assist you. If you’d like to learn more about how the technology works and its use cases, the original research paper from OpenAI is an invaluable source.
Facebook groups such as ChatGPT Prompts, blogs and articles from experts exploring this growing field can offer a great deal of insight. On YouTube, there are many informative videos that dive into various topics related to ChatGPT prompts. Here is a link to a great ChatGPT prompt resource by Damon Nelson of RSS Masher fame. For up-to-date information, be sure to check out the official Product Hunt page which offers updates on new industry products related to this technology. Finally, joining professional networks such as GPT3 & AI Connect showcase discussions between industry professionals regarding valuable lessons learned with ChatGPT.
With these resources in your back pocket, you’ll be well off on your journey to learning more about ChatGPT prompts!
