Unit 18: GenAI Prompting
Introduction
A prompt is how human end users communicate with genAI. Prompting is the method by which humans maintain agency over genAI applications. When you direct a genAI model to complete a search or to create a document, message, or image, you are engaging in an opportunity to have control over the kind of information included in the output. To exercise this control, you must apply your critical thinking, planning, and analytical skills because the more specific the prompt, the better you will be able to direct the model to deliver the output that serves your purpose. Remember that you are accountable for any genAI output that you use in your communications. For this and many other reasons, it is important to know how to prompt the model. For more on this imperative, see Miao and Holmes (2023).
This chapter will cover prompting strategies. To get started, view this video by Ethan Mollick and Lilach Mollick (2023) of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, which covers GenAI prompting basics.
Prompting Modes
Prompt crafting is the process by which you create statements or questions that direct a genAI model to respond in a way that serves your purpose. A prompt is the statement or question that activates the model to respond in a specified manner. Though prompt crafting is similar to prompt engineering, prompt crafting is the activity in which most end users engage; whereas, prompt engineering is mostly performed by those with the technical skills to refine the model’s ability to process prompts or by those with advanced prompting skills who want to tighten or limit the model’s mode of response. Ramlochan (2024) mentions that prompt engineering is conducted by those with specialized encoding skills. Unfortunately, as of this writing, many who communicate on the topic of prompting do not differentiate between the two terms.
Prompting can be achieved using various methods. You can simply ask a question or give a command. This is the easiest form of prompting. You can create a one-sentence prompt to elicit an output or use multi-paragraph prompts to direct the application to create a more narrow and specific output. You can refine your prompt through a conversational approach using a question and answer method. You may also choose to elicit an output all at once with one prompt, or you may choose to break up the prompting task into phases, proceeding in a step-by-step manner. You may also choose to create a prompt that directs the application itself to proceed using a phased approach.
With the release of several genAI applications for the mobile phone, you can, in addition to text prompting, use voice to engage in a verbal prompting cycle that will feel very much like you are speaking to another human. When you use voice, the genAI application will respond to you using both voice and text.
Your preferred method(s) will develop over time, and with experience they will become adaptable to the context and purp