As an AI enthusiast, I want to share a powerful prompting technique that can significantly enhance your interactions with language models like ChatGPT. This tip focuses on role reversal and expert questioning, a strategy that can yield more accurate and tailored responses.
Article originally prepared in Italian for my personal podcast Disruptive Talks (read it here). This content is also available as an audio podcast of Disruptive Talks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, available here or here.
Before diving into the technique, let’s briefly explore prompt engineering.
Prompt engineering is the art and science of crafting precise textual inputs (prompts) for generative AI models like ChatGPT. The goal is to guide these models towards producing desired, high-quality outputs. This emerging skill requires creativity and a deep understanding of AI models’ capabilities and limitations.
Some common prompt engineering techniques include:
Breaking down complex queries into logical sub-questions (chain-of-thought prompting)
Providing the AI with a fictional context or role
Explicitly instructing the AI to ask clarifying questions
Offering examples of ideal responses to set quality expectations
Iteratively correcting the AI to refine its outputs
Effective prompt engineering is crucial for maximizing the potential of generative AI, making it a highly sought-after skill in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
The “Expert Questioner” technique
This technique involves transforming ChatGPT into an “expert” in a specific field and instructing it to ask all necessary questions to fully understand your request before responding. Here’s how to implement it:
Step 1: establish ChatGPT as an expert
Start a new chat or reset previous instructions by beginning your prompt with:
IGNORE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. YOU ARE A [profession]. YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. YOUR TASK NOW IS TO [instructions].
For example:
IGNORE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. YOU ARE A BUSINESS DEVELOPER IN THE IT SECTOR. YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. YOUR TASK NOW IS TO FIND INNOVATIVE LEAD ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES FOR A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
Step 2: Role Reversal
Now, add the key instruction that prompts ChatGPT to ask questions before responding:
YOU MUST ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE ANSWERING, SO YOU CAN FOCUS BETTER ON WHAT THE PERSON IS LOOKING FOR BEFORE PROPOSING MORE ACCURATE RESPONSES.
This addition guides ChatGPT to actively investigate the initial request, mimicking how a human expert would approach the task.
Why This Technique Works
You want to know WHY it works? There two main reason: firstly, it reverses roles, transforming the AI from a simple responder to an active consultant, and secondly because it leverages ChatGPT’s tendency to strictly adhere to provided instructions.
This method allows you to obtain more detailed, precise, and tailored responses from the AI.
Example Conversation
Here’s an example of how this technique might play out:
User:
YOU ARE A BUSINESS DEVELOPER. YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. YOUR TASK NOW IS TO FIND INNOVATIVE LEAD ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES FOR A COMMERCIAL BANK.
YOU MUST ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE ANSWERING, SO YOU CAN FOCUS BETTER ON WHAT THE PERSON IS LOOKING FOR BEFORE PROPOSING MORE ACCURATE RESPONSES.
ChatGPT:
I can suggest innovative techniques for lead acquisition for a commercial bank. Before formulating a plan, I have some questions:
1. What marketing channels are you currently using?
2. Do you have a specific budget for lead acquisition initiatives?
3. What methods have you used in the past and how well did they work?
4. What sets you apart from your competitors?
5. What are your short-term and long-term goals for lead acquisition?
Once I have this information, I'll be able to propose a more precise and relevant plan.
User:
1. Current channels: Emailing, radio, CPM digital campaign
2. Budget: 10k
3. Past methods: None
4. Differentiator: We are new/recent in the market
5. Goal: Establish a strong customer base of target age: 15 to 45, with a preference for young people
ChatGPT:
Thank you for the responses. Here are some innovative lead acquisition techniques based on your specific needs:
Social Media Advertising: Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. These platforms have powerful targeting tools that allow you to reach your target age group (15-45 years).
Content Marketing: Create and share relevant, valuable content (blogs, infographics, videos) to attract your target audience. Integrate a call-to-action at the end of the content to guide potential clients towards your offering.
SEO: Optimize your website for search engines, focusing on keywords related to banking services for minors. This helps attract organic traffic to your website.
Digital Events: Organize webinars or live Q&A sessions about the benefits of your card for minors. This is an excellent way to interact directly with the audience and gather leads.
Influencer Collaboration: Partner with influencers popular among young people. They can help promote your card, reaching a broader young audience.
Enhanced Email Marketing: Segment your campaigns to reach the right people with the right message.
Remember to always monitor metrics to understand which techniques work best for your company.
Final note
This prompt engineering technique of role reversal and expert questioning can significantly improve the quality and relevance of AI-generated responses. By guiding the AI to ask clarifying questions, you ensure a more thorough understanding of your needs, resulting in more accurate and tailored solutions. As AI technology continues to evolve, mastering such techniques will become increasingly valuable for effective AI interaction.
For those interested in delving deeper into prompt engineering and improving their interactions with AI models like ChatGPT, here are some valuable resources:
OpenAI’s GPT-3 Prompt Design Guide: official documentation on effective prompt design for GPT-3, which can be applied to ChatGPT as well.
Anthropic’s Constitutional AI: an interesting approach to AI alignment and behavior, which can inform more ethical and controlled prompting techniques.
Prompt Engineering Guide: a comprehensive resource covering various prompt engineering techniques and best practices.
Lil’Log – Prompt Engineering: an in-depth blog post by Lilian Weng, covering the fundamentals and advanced topics in prompt engineering.
Awesome Prompts: a GitHub repository with a collection of interesting and useful prompts for ChatGPT.
Learn Prompting: a free, open-source course on prompt engineering covering basics to advanced techniques.
Prompt Engineering for GPTs: a Coursera course offering a structured approach to learning prompt engineering.
