What are prompts?

Since the launch of the AI chatbot ChatGPT, it’s hard to imagine the AI world without the term “prompt”. The term “prompt” serves as a kind of instruction or question that you address to an AI system in order to generate a specific response or output. These prompts vary greatly in complexity – from simple commands that ask an AI model to generate a specific text, to complicated sentences aimed at getting creative or analytical responses from more advanced models such as ChatGPT. The art of creating effective prompts lies not only in understanding how AI works, but also in how we precisely formulate the query to achieve the desired result.

Why is the art of prompting becoming increasingly relevant?

Prompts are becoming increasingly important when it comes to the successful interaction and use of AI systems. They are the primary means by which we interact with AI models, from simple chatbots to complex systems capable of generating text, creating images or even composing music. In an environment where interaction with AI is becoming increasingly intuitive, prompts play a crucial role in shaping these experiences. They enable us to control and adapt the enormous processing power of AI systems such as ChatGPT or SwissGPT so that individual, creative and, above all, useful results can be achieved. The better you master the skills of the prompt, the more successful your “cooperation” with AI tools will be.

What are the areas of application for prompts?

The variety of prompts and their applications in AI tools is remarkable and reflects the flexibility of modern AI systems. Text-based prompts, such as those used in ChatGPT, SwissGPT or other text generation models, allow us to ask questions, generate creative stories or even write code. Image-based prompts in models such as DALL-E or comparable image generation tools open up the possibility of creating visual content by describing scenes, objects or even moods. In addition, AI tools are used in music and audio production that can react to acoustic prompts in order to compose new pieces of music or soundscapes. Prompts can even be used in the field of software engineering. For example, for code reviews or to generate entire lines of code.

What makes a good prompt?

Best practices for prompts

Creating effective prompts is an art that requires both clarity and creativity to get the desired results from an AI. A fundamental best practice is precision in formulation. A well-designed prompt should be specific enough to give the AI a clear direction, but not so narrow that it limits the AI’s creative or analytical abilities. For example, a prompt for a text generation model should not only specify the topic, but also take into account the desired tone, style and scope of the response. This can be done by using adjectives that set the tone (e.g. humorous, serious, informative), by indicating a specific format (e.g. a dialog, a letter, a blog post), or by introducing a particular perspective or context. The adaptation of the prompt to the capabilities and knowledge level of the AI model is also important. An understanding of what the AI can do based on its training and database makes it possible to formulate prompts that achieve realistic and achievable results.

Avoidance of misunderstandings

To avoid misunderstandings between the user’s intention and the AI’s interpretation, it is crucial to minimize ambiguities in the prompt. Frequent errors occur when prompts are formulated too openly or vaguely, which leads to the AI generating answers that do not meet our expectations. It is helpful to clearly define the desired response or target before entering a prompt and to structure the prompt accordingly. The use of contextual information within the prompt can also help to improve the accuracy of AI responses. For example, the inclusion of background information or the explicit instruction to ignore or consider certain sources of information can increase the relevance and precision of the generated content. After all, it is important to learn by experimenting and adapting. By analyzing the AI’s responses to different wordings of the same prompt, we can develop a deeper understanding of how its word choices influence the results, and thus refine our own abilities to create effective prompts.

With the prompt guide – step by step to the perfect prompt

What is the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet?

Together with Julius Oberli, I have spent the last few weeks creating a step-by-step guide to creating comprehensive prompts. Our so-called Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet guides you in six steps to the perfect and successful prompt.

Our Cheat Sheet for Prompt Engineering is the ideal tool to optimize your interactions with tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. On 12 pages we offer a wealth of examples, extensive tips and best practices as well as inspiration to help you create precise and effective prompts. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, this cheat sheet will help you increase efficiency and get the best results from LLM interactions.

As you can see in the picture, a good prompt is divided into 3 main parts – essential, important and nice to have. In individual cases, the nice to have section can also be omitted.

More details on the following 12 pages.

What prior knowledge do I need for the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet?

The Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet comprises a total of 12 pages and is so simple and detailed that you don’t need any previous knowledge. To use the prompts, all you need is easy access to tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini or SwissGPT. Most of these tools offer free accounts. This allows you to apply newly created prompts directly.

Does the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet work with all AI tools?

Yes, the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet is tool-independent. No matter which AI tool you use, the art of prompting is becoming increasingly important. We have deliberately developed our Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet independently of a specific tool or language model.

By the way, if you are interested in AI tools in more depth, you can also take a look at our AI Masterclass.

How do I get the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet?

You can download the Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet digitally by clicking on the following button. The Prompt Engineering Cheat Sheet is a PDF document that you can use on your laptop, smartphone or tablet.

* You can also hear more tips from Julius Oberli in our joint podcast episode #111. Subsequently, the focus will increasingly be on the use of tools such as ChatGPT in the everyday lives of students and people in further education.

Further useful tips

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