Write AI prompts like a pro: Getting the most from Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT (+ Examples!)

As generative AI tools such as Copilot and ChatGPT become a natural part of how we work every day, it is important we are getting the most out of this technology. The key to good results from generative AI lies in providing it with the right prompts. 

What is an AI prompt? 

An AI prompt is the instruction or query you give to an AI model like Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT. Such as: “Give me an idea for an article on my website about AI tools.”  

Writing the right prompts is crucial for getting the most accurate and relevant responses from AI. 

Why are good prompts important? 

Good prompts are key to coaxing the best responses from AI tools, ensuring you get the best outcome. They help steer the AI tools in the right direction, giving it all the information needed to understand what you are actually asking. And what you really need.  

Ultimately, good prompts lead to more precise and useful results.

Top tips for writing good AI prompts 

Here we will look at just some of the key ways to write good AI prompts, allowing you to get the most out of generative AI tools. 

1. Be specific  

Vague prompts will produce poor results. It may sound simple but being specific (and clear!) in your prompts will help give you the best responses from generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. 
 
Let’s pretend you work for a charity and you’re putting together a major fundraising event. You open up your chosen AI tool and give the prompt “give me fundraising ideas.” This prompt is so vague that you will struggle to get relevant results. Instead, add specifics, give context, and provide background.  

Think of it as similar to a Google or Bing search. The more information you give it, the more accurate the results. Instead, you could try a prompt like this: 

“I work for an animal welfare charity. Give me a list of fundraising ideas that I could run in the community to raise vital money for a new animal welfare centre.” 

2. Use "do" and "don't"

Don’t be afraid to sound a little bossy. Telling AI what you do and don’t want from its response will improve the outcome. For example, if you’re looking for inspiration for a social media post for your brand, you might try something like this: 

“Write me a short social media post for my financial SaaS company about the importance of planning your budget early. Keep it professional. Don’t use emojis. Don’t use American English.” 

You should apply other limitations to improve the accuracy and relevancy of your responses too, like “keep it under 400 characters” or “don’t exceed an average reading time of 2 minutes.”

3. Include examples

You can improve the quality of output from AI tools by providing examples to show what you really want from your responses. Doing this gives the AI model more information, and a better understanding of what you need. It will use the example you give to craft a response that closely matches its tone, structure, and format.

4. Define the tone and audience

If you are using generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT to create content that will be seen by others, you will likely gain better and more accurate results by including information about the audience and correct tone. For example, let’s say you are the CEO of a HR consultancy, and you are using AI to help you communicate to staff about some upcoming changes to the leadership team. You might have specific requirements about the tone of this message. You could try a prompt like this: 

“I am the CEO of a HR company. Write me an email to my staff about a new member of staff joining the leadership team. The tone should be optimistic, light, and fun. This is good news and we want to warmly welcome them on board. We have a very diverse make up of staff in terms of age and gender, so this email should appeal to all.”

5. Give one task at a time

While AI models may seem like superheroes, they can get overwhelmed just like the rest of us. One of the best ways to get the most out of AI tools and achieve the best responses, is to keep it simple. Don’t overload it. Give them one task at a time. If you have lots of different things you need, break it up into smaller chunks.  

Instead of giving AI a prompt like this:  

“List all of the ways I could market our new beverage product and tell me which channels to do this through.” 

You should break it up into smaller pieces. Try:  

“List all of the ways I could market our new beverage product.” 

And then build on it with a follow up prompt: 

“Using this information, now list all the channels this could be shared through to target young professionals who may be interested in a new beverage.”  

6. Ask for tweaks

Responses won’t hit the mark every single time. In fact, if you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you’re not quite satisfied with the responses that your AI tools are giving you.  

Remember, you can ask them for tweaks! If you have received a response from Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT that doesn’t quite give you what you need, tell it! Ask for tweaks and provide additional information to steer the response in the right direction. 

7. Experiment, test, and refine

Writing prompts for AI that are effective and produce desired results can often be a bit of trial and error. One of the best ways to get the results you’re looking for is to experiment. Have a play around with different prompts, scenarios, and asks. The more you use it and refine your requests, the more you will get to grips with what AI needs from you in order to give you the best outcomes.  

Remember too, that while AI is incredible, it doesn't (yet!) beat the power of your own mind. Don’t take everything at face value, and avoid a simple copy and paste of whatever response you get. In Copilot, you can also verify sources to check where information is coming from. A great way to ensure you aren’t using content blindly without verifying it first.

 

Effective AI prompts - final thoughts

Generative AI tools aren’t superheroes. They might seem like it, but they need clear instructions if you want them to perform heroics. When you give your AI tools precise prompts, it gives you the best and most accurate responses. Exact instructions enable AI to deliver better, saving you time, and boosting productivity. 

 

How to get more from AI tools like Microsoft Copilot

AI for work is here, now. It is no longer a thing of the future but very much part of our daily lives. People are already using it every single day to inspire them, create better content, and streamline their work. But have they ever had any formal training on it? And are they using it to its fullest potential? 

Your investment into AI is a big one. You need to make sure that you are getting the most out of it.  

With the Microsoft Copilot Adoption service from Hable, we can make sure AI really enables your people to thrive.