The Checklist Prompting Technique For Generative AI Does A Bang-Up Job Of Keeping AI On Track With Better Results

In today’s column, I will showcase an important prompting technique that can demonstrably improve your results when using generative AI such as ChatGPT. The technique is commonly known as the checklist prompt. In brief, you tell generative AI to produce a checklist for whatever question or problem you want the AI to solve. Doing so aids the AI in undertaking a more structured approach to the matter.

A secondary plus is that you have the AI verify via the derived checklist that all the questions or parts of the problem were indeed solved or at least considered by the AI during the solving process. This is akin to someone using a checklist to make sure that nothing was inadvertently left by the wayside. We’ll make that the job of the AI.

Anyone using generative AI on a weekly or daily basis ought to be familiar with and always ready to employ the checklist prompt.

This analysis of an innovative proposition is part of my ongoing Forbes.com column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).

Leave a Comment