How should I use generative AI chatbots most effectively?
Terms to know: Prompts, Responses, Prompt engineering/crafting, Few-shot, Chain of thought
ATL Skills
Many people use AI as an assistant:
summarizing an article
writing and editing drafts
transcribing and translating documents
BUT why not use it as your thought partner (Shove, 2024).
This changes the range of data and probabilities that the AI draws from and results in responses that are much more appropriate for you. The easiest way to provide the chatbot context is by assigning it a persona. "You are..."
Example: "You are an expert at interviewing, and you answer in a warm, friendly style. Help me come up with interview questions."
Example: "You are an award-winning chemistry teacher who is highly empathetic and patient. You are known for being able to explain complex concepts in simple terms with relatable analogies. Explain to me how..."
Example: "You are an experienced entrepreneur. You don't like to say things that are boring or generic. You are very good at finding fault in other people's arguments. My business idea is... Give me reasons for why my idea would not work. "
by using follow up prompts. First you need to exercise your critical thinking skills. Read the generated response as the target audience. Evaluate the tone, length, formality, etc. You could follow up with:
"Give me a few variations."
"Make it shorter/more concise."
"Add some humour."
"Be less formal."
Show the AI what you want it to do by giving it a few examples first. This helps it understand the task better. This is called "few-shot prompting".
Example: Math Problem Solving
"Task: Solve the following algebra equation: 2x + 5 = 13
Example 1: Solve: 3x - 2 = 7. Answer: x = 3
Example 2: Solve: 5y + 4 = 24. Answer: y = 4
Your Turn: Solve: 2x + 5 = 13"
Example: Science Experiment
"Task: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following experiment:
Example 1: Experiment: The effect of fertilizer on plant growth. Independent variable: Amount of fertilizer. Dependent variable: Plant growth.
Example 2: Experiment: The impact of temperature on ice melting speed. Independent variable: Temperature. Dependent variable: Melting speed.
Your Turn: Experiment: The influence of light on photosynthesis rate."
Example: History
"Task: Identify the main cause of the event:
Example 1: Event: French Revolution. Main cause: Inequality between social classes.
Example 2: Event: The Great Depression. Main cause: Stock market crash.
Your Turn: Event: World War II."
Ask it to break down complex problems into smaller steps. Add to your prompt, "Show your work step by step." This is called "chain of thought (CoT) prompting".
Example: Math
"Solve: If a car travels 60 miles per hour for 3 hours, how far does it travel? Show your work step-by-step."
Example: Science Experiment
"Design an experiment to test the effect of temperature on plant growth. Identify the independent and dependent variables."
Example: General Problem Solving
"How can we reduce plastic waste in our school? Brainstorm ideas and consider the pros and cons of each option."
Co-Intelligence, Ethan Mollick, 2024
Thought Partner, Greg Shove, 2024