Every interaction with a tool like ChatGPT starts with a prompt — the text you type in. It can be a simple question or a detailed brief with context, examples and formatting instructions.
Because the AI responds to exactly what you ask, small changes in wording can produce very different results. A vague prompt like write an email gives a generic reply; a specific one produces something you can use with little editing.
For example, instead of summarise this, a stronger prompt is summarise this report in three sentences for a busy manager, focusing on the risks. Getting good at writing prompts is a skill in itself, known as prompt engineering. Try it in our AI assistant.