Mastering The AI Art of Jiu-Jitsu Prompting: 5 Essential Moves š„
Supercharge your GPT-4 prompts with these Jiu-Jitsu-inspired techniques.
Jiu-jitsu prompts take the power of GPT-4 and reflect it back on the model itself to help you craft better prompts. They're one of my favorite ways to use AI at the moment, and I've developed a set of five Jiu-jitsu-inspired moves to improve your prompts.
Meet "The Takedown," "The Guard Pass," "The Submission," "The Sweep," and "The Escape"ātechniques that will get you superior outputs from GPT-4.
1. The Takedown: Correct minor mistakes in prompts
Letās start with a simple example. Hereās what I asked the AI:
Please come up with a fun and appropriate emoji for each item on this list:
1. Design and optimize workflow
2. Create tables and quizzes
3. Assist in negotiations and decision-making
ChatGPT then gave me this:
1. Design and optimize workflows: āļøš
2. Create tables and quizzes: šā
3. Assist in negotiations and decision-making: š¼š¤
That's different from what I wanted, which means: Jiu-jitsu time!
Tim: I want just one emoji per line item at the start of each line, but you're adding two at the end. How should I have phrased my original prompt to prevent this from happening?
ChatGPT: To avoid confusion and ensure that only one emoji is used per line item in the original prompt, you could have phrased it like this:
"Please provide a single, fun, and appropriate emoji for each item on the list below. Place the emoji at the start of each line item."
This phrasing emphasizes the request for a single emoji and should help prevent any misinterpretation.
You can use this approach any time the AI model gives you a result thatās not exactly what you were looking forājust ask it how to get what you want.
2. The Guard Pass: Make prompts more specific
Here's an example of a lazy prompt leading to generic output. I then interact with the AI model to describe more precisely what I want and apply the Jiu-jitsu philosophyāthe AI helps me craft a superior prompt.
Tim: Tell me about the benefits of exercise for mental health.
ChatGPT: Exercise has numerous benefits for mental health. It can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by releasing endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals in the brain. Exercise can also improve cognitive function and memory, boost self-esteem and body image, and promote better sleep. Additionally, engaging in physical activity can provide opportunities for social interaction and support.
Tim: Hmmm, thatās not exactly what Iām looking for. Here are the issues:
I wanted more specific examples of exercises for mental health.
I sought a more detailed explanation of the link between exercise and mental health improvement.
How should I adjust my original prompt so these issues donāt happen?
ChatGPT: To address the issues and get the desired output, you could adjust your original prompt to:
"Provide specific examples of exercises that are particularly beneficial for mental health, and explain in detail the mechanisms by which these exercises improve mental health."
This revised prompt specifically asks for examples of exercises and a more detailed explanation of the link between exercise and mental health improvement, which should result in a more targeted and informative response.
This approach improves my current output and future prompts, as it teaches me how to make my requests more specific.
Template
Hmmm, thatās not exactly what Iām looking for. Here are the issues:
{List one or more of the issues with the output}
How should I adjust my original prompt so these issues donāt happen?
3. The Submission: Extract characteristics from an example
Another way to use Jiu-jitsu prompting is by letting the AI analyze the characteristics of a piece of text and then asking it how to include those in a prompt.
Hereās an example:
Tim: How would you describe the tone, style, and conciseness of the below text?
āDid you know that bees š are amazing architects? They construct their hives using hexagons, which are the most efficient shape for storage! Just like engineers, bees take the "less is more" approach to their design, which maximizes space without sacrificing strength. Some people even say that bees are the original minimalists! šØ So, next time you see a bee buzzing around, remember that they're not only great at pollination but also master builders of the insect world! šā
ChatGPT: The tone of the text is friendly and conversational, making it accessible and engaging for readers. The style is informative yet casual, using emojis and metaphors to explain complex ideas in a relatable way. The conciseness of the text is generally good, but there are some areas where it could be shortened or simplified for better clarity. Overall, the text strikes a balance between being professional and approachable, making it suitable for a wide audience.
Tim: If I'd want your outputs to achieve exactly the style, tone, conciseness, and other essential characteristics of that text, what should I include in my prompts?
ChatGPT: To achieve this level of conciseness in my outputs, you can include a brief instruction in your prompt like this:
"Please write the response in a friendly, conversational, and professional tone. Keep the text concise and engaging. Focus on delivering essential information while maintaining the readability and flow of the content. Aim for a balance between informative and approachable, with a casual yet professional feel."
By providing these guidelines, I will have a clear understanding of the tone, style, and conciseness you're aiming for, even without a specific example.
Template
How would you describe the {insert characteristics} of the below text?
{insert text to be analyzed here}
š¤ Start AI #1
If I'd want your outputs to achieve exactly the {insert characteristics} of that text, what should I include in my prompts?
š¤ Start AI #2
4. The Sweep: Get AI feedback on a prompt
ā ļø Donāt try this prompt if you canāt handle feedback. š
A super simple but powerful approach: ask the AI for feedback on your prompt.
Tim: Is there anything I could have written differently in my prompt about writing this FAQ section that would have improved the quality or effectiveness of your output?
ChatGPT: Your prompt was clear and well-structured, which allowed me to address each question effectively. One suggestion for improvement is to provide some guidance on the tone or style you'd like for the FAQ section. For example, you could indicate whether you prefer a more formal or conversational tone, or if you'd like the answers to be more concise or detailed. This information helps me tailor my response to better match your expectations and the overall tone of your article.
Template
Is there anything I could have written differently in my prompt about {insert prompt topic or goal} that would have improved the quality or effectiveness of your output?
5. The Escape: Create a prompt by describing a goal
You can ask GPT-4 to write a prompt template based on an objective. This approach works reasonably well if you need something quick and don't want to forget essential details.
Tim: If I want you to write a high-converting and engaging headline for an SEO-optimized article for one of my customers, what information should I provide you? Can you create a template for a prompt that would allow me to give you the right info you need for creating amazing article headlines?
ChatGPT: Please create a high-converting and engaging headline for an SEO-optimized article using the following information:
Target Keyword(s):
Article Topic:
Target Audience:
Article Objective:
Tone and Style:
Key Benefits or Selling Points:
The drawback of this approach is that GPT-4 usually doesn't get creative. In the example above, I would have included something like, "Imagine you're the lead copywriter at The New York Times, and you've been reviewing and crafting headlines your whole life." GPT-4 doesn't do this.
Template
If I want you to {insert objective}, what information should I provide? Can you create a template for a prompt that would allow me to give you the right info you need for {insert objective}?
The holy grail of Jiu-jitsu prompting: Reverse engineering a prompt from any output
The final and ultimate Jiu-jitsu move would be to give GPT-4 a piece of output and let it reverse engineer the perfect prompt template. I've been experimenting with this approach but haven't nailed it yet. One of two things usually happens:
The proposed prompt template is so complex that itās unusable.
The prompt template is too narrowly focused on the output (i.e., itās not generic and generates exactly the same output).
If you figure this out or find other great Jiu-jitsu prompts, please post them in the comments below. I'd love to learn more moves! š„
Tim
New prompt templates since the last email:1
I forgot to include new prompt templates in Insights from "Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence," so here are all the new ones since Amplify AI results: The Power of Context and References.