CNBC.COM
Typing in a simple question typically won't get you the results you want from an AI model.
Just as humans often go through multiple drafts before finalizing their work, your AI model may need some guidance to produce the best output, according to Jordan Wilson, the founder and host of Everyday AI, a top-20 tech podcast and AI strategy company.
Wilson, who is also a professor of AI at DePaul University in Chicago, says that he teaches his students to use a process called "prime, prompt, polish" to improve their AI results.
The purpose of this framework is to help break people out of the mindset that they "get one input and one output out of a large language model," he says in Smarter by CNBC Make It's course, Beyond the Basics: How to Use AI to Supercharge Your Work.
Instead, Wilson recommends engaging in a back-and-forth dialogue with the model.
"The best prompts are ones where you talk to the large language model like you would talk to a human," he says.
Based on his tips from the course, here are the techniques Wilson recommends to improve your AI skills and get the best results from your AI model.
Priming the model
Your first message to an AI model shouldn't be asking for an output, Wilson says. Instead, he recommends "priming" the LLM first by sharing background information about your goal.
That means describing what you're currently working on, stating what you want to accomplish, providing background information and specifying how you want the output to be outlined, he says.
Finish the priming process by asking the model whether it needs any more details or clarification before beginning the task.
Crafting a prompt
Once you've primed the LLM, it's time to create a prompt. This step is the first time you're asking the model to generate a specific result, according to Wilson.
Many people use basic prompts like "Create a slogan for my cupcake business," but you'll need to provide more information to get a comprehensive output, according to AI advisor and educator Denise Turley, who is also an instructor for the Smarter by CNBC Make It course.
She recommends crafting an advanced prompt that includes more context and specific instructions, such as asking for multiple options and specifying the style, intended audience and platform.
For example, "Give me five versions of marketing slogans for my social media campaigns on Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn. Make sure you use a bulleted style, and end with a call to action that refers people to my website."
Polishing the result
You may need to provide more guidance in order to generate your ideal output, Wilson says.
Remember to give AI "explicit and step-by step directions" about what to improve, he says.
You could say something like, "I asked for this type of output. You gave me the output in this way. It's good in these ways; it's bad in these ways," he says.
When in doubt, "use more words" and add more context, he says.
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