The Lightwave 

Practical Insights for Skeptics & Users Alike…in (Roughly) Two Minutes or Less

This week we’ve covered the basics of Prompting, including:

• What it is

• How it differs from search engine searches

• The RTF format for prompting

Let’s summarize everything together in two minutes or less, yeah?

Prompting is the art of communicating with AI language models like ChatGPT. It's essentially how you ask questions or give instructions to an AI. Unlike typing keywords into a search engine, prompting involves formulating more detailed, often conversational requests to guide the AI's response.

Iterative Prompting

One of the most powerful aspects of AI interaction is iterative prompting.

This means engaging in a back-and-forth conversation with the AI, refining your questions based on its responses.

Each iteration allows you to dig deeper, clarify misunderstandings, or explore new angles of your topic.

For example, if you're brainstorming business ideas, you might start with a broad question, then ask follow-up questions about market analysis, potential challenges, and marketing strategies. This iterative process can lead to insights and ideas you might not have considered initially.

Role / Task / Format (RTF)

To get the most out of AI prompting, it's helpful to use a structured approach. One popular and simple method is the Role/Task/Format framework:

1. Role: Specify the role you want the AI to assume (e.g., "Act as a financial advisor")

2. Task: Clearly state what you want the AI to do (e.g., "Create a budget plan for a family of four")

3. Format: Indicate how you want the information presented (e.g., "Present the budget in a monthly spreadsheet format")

Prompting Tips

1. Be Specific: The more details you provide, the better the AI can tailor its response.

2. Use Clear Language: Avoid ambiguity in your prompts.

3. Break Down Complex Queries: For complicated topics, consider asking a series of related questions.

4. Experiment: Don't be afraid to rephrase your prompt if you're not getting the desired results.

The Usual Caveat

It’s important to remember that these tools have limitations. They can (and do) make mistakes, may not always have up-to-date information, and can sometimes 'hallucinate' or generate false information. Always verify important information from reliable sources.

For more information, visit www.NorthLightAI.com