A prompt is the input or instruction you give to an AI model to get a specific output. For text models like ChatGPT or Claude, the prompt is the text you type into the input field. For image generators like Midjourney, the prompt describes the desired image.
The quality of the prompt largely determines the quality of the AI output. A well-formulated prompt leads to precise, helpful answers – a vague prompt to unsatisfying results.
Types of Prompts
User Prompt
The user prompt is the direct input from the user – the question, task, or instruction you give to the AI model. This is the prompt you interact with most frequently.
System Prompt
The system prompt is an invisible base instruction that fundamentally controls the AI model's behavior. It defines the role, tone, and limitations of the assistant.
Few-Shot Prompt
In few-shot prompts, you give the model some examples before presenting the actual task. The model learns the desired format or approach from the examples.
Elements of a Good Prompt
Context: Background information about the situation
Task: Clear description of what the model should do
Format: Desired structure of the output (list, paragraphs, code)
Constraints: What the model should avoid
Examples: Optional: examples of the desired output
The following interactive visualization shows how these elements work together. Click on individual building blocks to show or hide them and see how the prompt changes:
Presets:
Generated Prompt5 / 6
You are an experienced data scientist.
I run a blog about AI tools for small businesses.
Explain machine learning.
Use simple language and maximum 3 paragraphs.
Keep the response under 150 words. Avoid technical jargon.
Tip: The more specific your prompt, the better the response. Start with the task and gradually add context, format, and constraints.
Chain-of-Thought: The model is asked to think step by step
Role Prompting: The model is assigned an expert role
Zero-Shot: Direct task without examples
Few-Shot: Task with some examples
Prompts for Different AI Models
Text AI (ChatGPT, Claude)
Natural language prompts work best with text models. Be precise, provide context, and define the desired output format. More in our ChatGPT guide.
Image Generators (Midjourney, DALL-E)
Image generator prompts describe visual elements: subject, style, lighting, composition. Parameters like aspect ratio or style strength are often added as suffixes. See our Midjourney prompts.
Common Prompt Mistakes
Too vague: "Write something about AI" → Better: "Explain the three main benefits of AI in healthcare in 2-3 sentences each"
Too complex: Mixing multiple tasks in one prompt
No format specification: Without a format, you get arbitrary structures
Missing context: The model doesn't know what you need the answer for
Advanced Prompting Techniques
Beyond the basic prompt types, there are numerous scientifically-founded techniques that can significantly improve the quality and accuracy of AI responses. The following table shows over 40 prompting techniques from current research papers:
Showing 51 of 51 techniques
Conclusion
The prompt is the most important tool when working with AI models. Investing in good prompts pays off directly in better results. With practice and the right techniques, you can significantly improve the performance of LLMs and image generators.
Finn Hillebrandt is the founder of Gradually AI, an SEO and AI expert. He helps online entrepreneurs simplify and automate their processes and marketing with AI. Finn shares his knowledge here on the blog in 50+ articles as well as through his ChatGPT Course and the AI Business Club.
