🚀 OpenAI’s New Prompting Guide is Insanely Simple!
Hey, prompt navigators! 👋
Ugh, ever feel like you’re wrestling with your AI, trying to get exactly what you need? I’ve been there! Sometimes, making sense of it all, especially with new model names like ‘GPT 4.1‘ popping up, can feel like a quest. But guess what? OpenAI just sneakily released an awesome new prompting guide, and it’s a total game-changer for getting those crisp structured outputs, better reasoning, and even for using tools and agents!
This guide is super concise and perfect for anyone wanting to level up their prompting game with GPT-4.1.
✨ The Secret Sauce: OpenAI’s Prompting Structure ✨
Here’s the breakdown they suggest:
📌 1. Role and Objective: First up, tell the AI who it needs to be and what its main mission is.
- Example: “You are a helpful research assistant summarizing technical documents. Your goal is to produce clear summaries highlighting essential points.”
📌 2. Instructions: Lay down the law! Give it clear rules on how to behave – think tone, formatting, and what not to do.
- Example Instructions: “Always respond professionally and concisely. Avoid speculation; if unsure, reply with ‘I don’t have enough information.’ Format responses in bullet points.”
📌 3. Sub-Instructions (Optional but Super Useful!): Got specific details? Add ’em here for finer control.
- Sample Phrases: Use “Based on the document…” instead of “I think…”
- Prohibited Topics: Do not discuss politics or current events.
📌 4. Step-by-Step Reasoning / Planning: Encourage your AI to think things through before spitting out an answer.
- Example Prompts: “Think step-by-step before answering.” “Plan your approach, then execute and reflect after each step.”
📌 5. Output Format: Be crystal clear on how you want the final result to look.
- Format Example: Summary: [1-2 lines] Key Points: [10 Bullet Points] Conclusion: [Optional]
📌 6. Examples (Optional but Highly Recommended!): Show, don’t just tell! Give it a taste of a top-notch response.
- Example Input: “What is your return policy?”
- Example Output: “Our policy allows returns within 30 days with receipt. More info: [Policy Name](Policy Link)”
📌 7. Final Instructions: Got a long prompt? Remind the AI of the key stuff at the end to keep it on track.
- Reinforcement Example: “Always remain concise, avoid assumptions, and follow the structure: Summary → Key Points → Conclusion.”
🚀 Bonus Pro-Tips from the Guide: 🚀
- Highlight critical instructions at the beginning AND end of longer prompts.
- Structure your inputs clearly using Markdown (#) or even XML.
- Break down instructions into lists or bullet points – easy to read, easy to follow!
- If responses are off, try simplifying, reordering, or isolating the tricky instructions.
This guide is seriously a fantastic resource if you’re looking to get more out of your AI interactions.
Want to dive deeper and grab the link to the full OpenAI Cookbook guide? Plus, the original poster shares a cool tool they’re building!
👇 Check out the full Reddit post for all the awesome details! 👇
OpenAI Released a New Prompting Guide and It’s Surprisingly Simple to Use
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