Great tips for using ChatGPT and other AI chatbots effectively

Generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude are increasingly prevalent, permeating many aspects of our digital lives, from work, to learning, to entertainment. They are powerful tools capable of assisting with a wide range of tasks, from text editing and data analysis to coding and planning.

However, the important thing that many users often overlook is that the quality of the chatbot’s response depends largely on how you ask the question, i.e. the prompt. In other words, good input will give quality output. And you can absolutely learn how to “talk” more effectively to the chatbot to maximize its capabilities.

Here are some simple yet useful tips, drawn from the people who build AI models themselves, to help you improve your prompts and get better quality answers from your chatbot.

Be specific with your request, the more specific it is, the better the chatbot will understand it.

ChatGPT can’t read your mind, so if you want a quality response, you need to give clear and specific instructions about what you want. Unlike a Google search where a few keywords can yield results, chatbots need more than that because they need context.

For example, if you just type “design a logo”, the answer may be too general and not satisfying. Instead, provide more information such as what company the logo is for, what industry it is in, what style of design is it – modern, minimalist, or classic?

Effective prompts should be “clear, specific, and provide enough context for the model to understand your request,” recommends OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. Avoid vague statements; the more specific, the closer you’ll get to your desired results.

Don't be afraid to tweak your prompts, the more your chatbot "talks", the better the results.

Interacting with a chatbot is like chatting with a knowledgeable friend, you rarely get the perfect answer the first time. Instead of stopping after the first response, continue by asking a follow-up question, clarifying the original request, or adjusting your wording to guide the chatbot in the right direction.

OpenAI recommends that you “adjust the wording, add context, or simplify the request as needed” to improve the quality of the response. Not only will refining the prompt help the chatbot understand better, it will also open up deeper possibilities from the model.

Google has similar advice for Gemini users, if the results aren’t what you expect, try “a few different approaches.” Sometimes it takes a series of back-and-forths, revisions, tweaks, and re-questioning to get to the answer that really works.

In other words, don’t just send a command and leave it at that. Chatbots work best when you treat them as a collaborative process, not a one-way search engine.

Identifying Tone and Audience: The Key to Tailored Responses

When interacting with an AI chatbot, you can not only enter a content request, but also specify the style and tone of the response you want. This is an important technique to personalize the results and make the response more relevant to the actual usage context.

According to OpenAI, stylistic words like “formal,” “friendly,” “humorous,” “professional,” or “serious” can shape how a chatbot presents its answers.

You should also clearly define who your audience is, for example: secondary school students, office workers, or technical experts. These factors will influence the language, level of detail, and approach to the content.

For example, you can ask ChatGPT to explain quantum physics in the style of a professor lecturing to a graduate class. Or for the same topic, you can ask for a casual tone, like a teacher telling a story to high school students.

However, AI experts are still debating the impact of “character shaping” in prompts. On the one hand, it helps create more natural, relatable, and on-point responses. But on the other hand, if the tone is too empathetic or authoritative, it can make the text seem manipulative.

Still, when used properly, identifying tone and audience can turn chatbots into truly versatile and effective voice assistants.

Context and concrete examples: “Spices” help chatbots understand what you mean

Want more useful, targeted responses from your chatbot? Provide more context and specific examples. Don’t just ask, “Help me plan a one-week trip to London.” That prompt will only return a list of popular destinations like Big Ben, the British Museum, Hyde Park, a few famous neighborhoods, and a suggestion to visit Windsor Castle, which is more than any guidebook or travel website can provide.

Instead, tell the chatbot who you are, what your actual needs are, and what should be your priorities. For example: “Help me plan a week-long trip to London in August for my family of four. We love theatre, don’t care much about historical sites, don’t drink, and need mid-range accommodation and cheap diners.”

With this context, ChatGPT can suggest a much more relevant itinerary, such as hotel suggestions near the West End, theater dates, cheap and fun family activities, and budget-friendly dining options.

The more specific you are, the easier it is for the chatbot to understand what you need and the response will not only be “more accurate” but also “truly useful”.

Setting Limits: A Simple Way to Get More Concise, Understandable Feedback

One of the most effective ways to improve your chatbot’s response is to be specific with your request. Longer and more detailed isn’t always better, sometimes shorter is easier to understand.

You can absolutely ask ChatGPT or any AI chatbot to answer within a certain framework such as word limit, paragraph limit, or key points. For example, instead of asking “explain quantum physics,” try: “Explain quantum physics in 150 words, with 3 core points.” Then, instead of a complex explanation filled with terminology like wave functions, qubits, or the uncertainty principle, you will get an easy-to-understand summary that focuses on practical applications like lasers or smartphones.

OpenAI and Google both recommend using limits as a tool to control the length and detail of your responses. It’s a way to avoid being overwhelmed by information, especially when you just need a quick, clear, and relevant answer.