Glossary
What Is a Prompt? Definition and Example
A prompt is the instruction or question you give an AI tool. A clear prompt states the role, the context, the task and the format you want back.
What it means
The same AI can give a weak or a strong answer depending on the prompt. Vague prompts get generic answers. Good prompts include who the AI should act as, the situation, exactly what to do, how the answer should look and what to avoid.
Example
Weak: 'Help me with marketing.' Better: 'You are a marketing coach. I run a small bakery. Give me a 4-week posting plan as a table, under 250 words.'
Why it matters
Prompting is the skill that every other AI skill builds on, including automation and agents.
Related terms
- Prompt Engineering: Prompt engineering is the practice of writing and refining prompts so that an AI gives reliable, useful.
- AI Agent: An AI agent is an AI system that works toward a goal by planning steps, using tools such as search or files.
- Large Language Model (LLM): A large language model, or LLM, is an AI system trained on huge amounts of text to understand and generate.
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Frequently asked questions
What makes a good prompt?
A role, context, a clear task, an output format and limits.
Do I need to learn special wording?
No. Plain, specific language works best. Examples help more than clever phrasing.
How do I improve a prompt?
Change one thing at a time and compare the results.