Artificial Intelligence (AI) Library Guide

What is a prompt?

Prompts are inputs—such as text, images, links, code, or files—provided to generative AI (genAI) systems to guide their outputs. They function as instructions or queries that guide the AI’s response. They define the topic, question, instructions, and context for the AI's response.

The precision of a prompt significantly affects the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the resulting output. Providing clear context and incremental guidance enhances the AI’s focus and consistency, thereby improving overall performance.

What makes a good prompt?
A well-designed prompt is essential for obtaining accurate and relevant results from GenAI tools. Since these systems rely on clear guidance, effective prompts are key to quality outputs.

When crafting a prompt, consider:

• Which keywords or instructions are most helpful?
• Should you include examples or background (e.g., a link)?
• Would a file upload provide useful context?

A prompt is the textual input given to a generative AI system to elicit a specific output. The initial output may not fully reflect the user's intentions, often requiring prompt refinement to achieve more accurate results. The relevance and quality of the AI's response are significantly influenced by how well the prompt is constructed. Employing prompt engineering techniques can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of interactions with language models.

Prompt engineering involves the strategic formulation of input text to guide the AI toward producing more precise and meaningful responses. An informed understanding of the model’s strengths and constraints enables users to craft prompts that yield more relevant and context-appropriate outcomes.