What is a generative AI prompt?

A prompt is a phrase or instruction you give an AI model to generate a response. Prompts can be anything from a question, statement, or other words intended to spark creativity, “thought,” or engagement.

To get the most helpful and relevant responses from AI, it's important to understand how to structure your prompts with specific details and context.

Let's take the example of asking for restaurant menu ideas. You might be tempted to write a simple prompt like:

🗣️ "Give me ideas for a restaurant menu"

While this will generate a list of dishes, the response will likely be generic and might not align with your actual needs.

Instead, you could enhance your prompt with specific details:

🗣️ "Create a menu for a casual dining restaurant specializing in [CUISINE_TYPE] with the following considerations:

Target price range: [PRICE_POINT], Location: [CITY/REGION], Customer demographic: [TARGET_AUDIENCE], Dietary considerations: [SPECIAL_REQUIREMENTS], Number of items needed per category: [MENU_SIZE], Seasonal ingredients available: [LOCAL_PRODUCE]"