What is an AI Prompt?
A prompt is the instruction, question, context or task you give to an AI model. A weak prompt asks the AI to guess. A strong prompt gives it the job, the background, the rules and the shape of the answer.
The CORE prompt formula
Good prompts are not magic spells. They are clear briefs. Hack The Sim uses CORE because it is simple enough to remember and useful enough to actually work.
Context
Give the AI the background it needs: audience, situation, source material, constraints and what has already happened.
Outcome
Say what you want back. A summary, plan, email, code review, checklist, table, decision brief or rough first draft.
Rules
Set boundaries. Tone, length, facts only, no assumptions, ask questions first, cite sources, use British English, avoid waffle.
Examples
Show the style, format or standard you want. Even one example can stop the AI wandering off like a Roomba in a warehouse.
Bad prompt vs better prompt
The difference is not fancy wording. It is whether the AI has enough direction to produce the thing you actually meant.
Weak prompt
Too vague. The AI has to guess the audience, purpose, tone, format and level of detail.
Write something about AI governance.
- No audience.
- No desired output.
- No rules, examples or success criteria.
- High chance of generic fluff soup.
Better prompt
Specific enough to guide the AI, but not so rigid it becomes painful.
Context: I am writing for senior technology leaders who are worried about uncontrolled AI use across their business. Outcome: Create a LinkedIn post of 180 to 230 words. Rules: - Practical, sharp and human. - No fake statistics. - Avoid hype. - Make the risk clear but not doom-heavy. - End with one useful question. Example style: Direct opening line, short paragraphs, useful business framing.
- Clear audience.
- Clear output.
- Rules reduce rubbish.
- Example style points the model in the right direction.
Different types of prompts
A prompt is not just “write me a thing”. You can use prompts to think, plan, test, critique, transform, explain, debug and decide.
Writing prompts
Create emails, posts, reports, scripts, summaries, speeches and first drafts without staring into the void.
Browse writing promptsThinking prompts
Explore options, trade-offs, risks, assumptions and second-order effects before choosing a path.
Browse thinking promptsTesting prompts
Check quality, find weak claims, test reasoning, spot missing context and stress-test an answer.
View quality gatesWork prompts
Turn messy tasks into plans, checklists, tickets, meeting actions, stakeholder updates and decision briefs.
Browse work promptsCode prompts
Ask for debugging help, reviews, refactors, explanations, test cases, scripts and safer implementation plans.
Browse code promptsLearning prompts
Get explanations, quizzes, analogies, study plans and step-by-step breakdowns at your level.
Browse learning promptsTransformation prompts
Rewrite, reformat, simplify, translate, summarise, classify or convert information into another structure.
Browse transformation promptsAutomation prompts
Design prompts that plug into repeatable workflows, forms, triggers, approvals and AI-assisted processes.
Explore automationHow to write a better prompt
Do not start by trying to sound clever. Start by giving the AI the same things you would give a human doing the job.
Name the job
Say what you want done. “Summarise this”, “turn this into a plan”, “review this for risk”, “write a reply”.
Add the context
Give the background, audience, goal, constraints and source material. The AI cannot read the room if you never show it the room.
Define the output
Tell it the format: bullets, table, email, JSON, checklist, executive summary, code block, step-by-step guide.
Set rules
Explain what matters: length, tone, accuracy, assumptions, citations, examples, audience, style and what to avoid.
Ask for questions when needed
If the task is unclear, tell the AI to ask clarifying questions before answering. Saves you from confident nonsense with a nice haircut.
Iterate
Your first prompt is a draft. Improve it based on what the AI misunderstood, missed or overdid.
Common prompt mistakes
Most bad AI output starts with missing instructions. The model is powerful, but it is still not a mind reader wearing a cape.
Do this
- Say who the output is for.
- Tell the AI what format you want.
- Provide examples when style matters.
- Ask it to flag uncertainty instead of guessing.
- Break complex tasks into steps.
Avoid this
- “Make it better” with no definition of better.
- Expecting perfect output from a vague one-liner.
- Asking for facts without checking or sourcing them.
- Mixing five different jobs into one messy prompt.
- Using AI output untouched when stakes are high.
When does a prompt become a skill?
A prompt is usually for a task now. A skill is for a task you expect to repeat.
Use a prompt when…
- It is a one-off task.
- You are exploring an idea.
- The output does not need a repeatable process.
- You are still working out what good looks like.
Use a skill when…
- You reuse the same instruction often.
- You need consistent output every time.
- You need triggers, tests, guardrails and pass criteria.
- Other people need to use the workflow too.
Where to go next
Once the basics click, use the hub to find prompts, turn them into skills, or build a workflow around them.
Prompt Hub
Browse tested prompts for writing, code, planning, strategy, research, leadership and real work.
Open Prompt HubUse Case Finder
Start with the thing you are trying to do and get routed to the right AI format.
Find my use caseNoob to Ninja
Learn the practical prompt habits that stop AI outputs turning into beige pudding.
Read the guideNeed a prompt for a real task?
Describe what you are trying to do and get routed toward a prompt, skill, workflow pack, AI team, quality gate or automation-ready setup.