The outputs of of a generative AI tool reflect the thoughtfulness of the prompt you put in. AI does not read your mind and fill in the gaps in your prompt. The task of designing an effective prompt is often called prompt engineering. As AI tools progress less may be required from a prompt for an AI tool to provide an appropriate response. Even so, understanding prompt engineering and practicing this skill will help you be a stronger competitor on the job market, because human thoughtfulness increases the quality of a result.
1. Specify the task
2. Specify the desires output
3. Specify the tone and style
4. Specify the context surrounding the desired response
(Bowen & Watson, 2024)