Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT or Copilot work by responding to prompts. A prompt is simply the text or question you give to the AI. The better your prompt, the better the answer you get. This skill is called prompt engineering.
Let’s explore the key elements in easy words.
1. Clear Instruction
- What it means: Tell the AI exactly what you want.
- Example: Instead of saying “Explain photosynthesis”, say “Explain photosynthesis in 3 simple sentences for a school student.”
- Why it matters: Clear instructions guide the AI to give you the right kind of answer.
2. Contex
- What it means: Give background or extra details so the AI knows the situation.
- Example: “You are a teacher. Write a short note for students about internet safety.”
- Why it matters: Context helps the AI adjust tone, style, and depth of explanation.
3. Input Data
- What it means: Provide the actual material the AI should work on.
- Example: “Summarize this paragraph: ‘The sun is the main source of energy…’”
- Why it matters: Input data makes the answer specific instead of general.
4. Output Format
- What it means: Tell the AI how you want the answer to look.
- Example: “Give the answer as bullet points.” or “Write it like a blog post.”
- Why it matters: Output format ensures the response is easy to use and fits your need.
Putting It All Together
A strong prompt combines all four elements:
👉 Instruction + Context + Input + Output Format
Example Prompt:
You are a science teacher. Summarize the following text about water cycle in 5 bullet points for middle school students.”
This tells the AI:
- What to do (summarize)
- Who it’s for (students)
- What to use (given text)
- How to present (bullet points)
Why Learn Prompt Engineering?
We should learn to Saves time, Gives better answers, Helps you use AI more effectively.
Note:
Prompt engineering is like giving directions to a friend. If you say “Go there,” they may get lost. But if you say “Go to the library, take the second floor, and look for the science section,” they’ll reach exactly where you want. The same goes for AI—clear prompts lead to clear results.
