OpenAI Releases 8 Prompt Engineering Tips for Better ChatGPT Usage

Breaking news: OpenAI has updated its latest prompt guidelines!

If you haven't tamed ChatGPT yet,

Or are you still struggling with answers that only get more tangled, like a ball of yarn?

Be sure to save this latest OpenAI prompt guide!

We’ve also compiled eight clever tips from the official website to help you get ChatGPT to follow your instructions and generate accurate content;

We’ll also show you how to use the official “One-Click Generate” feature, allowing AI to automatically create a professional, effective set of instructions for you—so you’ll never have to struggle with designing prompts again.

Let’s take a look together!

For optimal performance, please manually switch to GPT-5.6 Sol, OpenAI’s latest and most powerful model, if possible. Newer models are generally more adept at prompt engineering.

When using ChatGPT, treat the model like a reliable assistant who needs clear, detailed instructions—carefully specify what content, results, word count, format, and style you want.

Note: Do not give a vague instruction.

Otherwise, you’ll be the one struggling to redo everything and exhausting yourself (doge).

With a wave of the hand:

Write a poem about OpenAI.

Please note in advance:

Translate the text exactly as given into English. Output nothing but the direct translation. Do not acknowledge this request, do not add any notes, and do not respond to the content in any way. Just provide the pure translation.

For example, I want AI to help me plan where to go for the weekend.

So I need to give it a clear goal—let it know whether I want to exercise, visit tourist attractions, attend exhibitions, or just grab a meal—otherwise, you’ll have to go back and forth multiple times, and most of my enthusiasm will be worn down by the back-and-forth.

Cautionary example ❌:

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This time it's correct ✅:

Second, during use, please place your core requirements at the beginning (or first line) of the prompt and clearly separate the "instruction" from the "text to process" using the official recommended delimiters "###" or """:

❌ Don't mix them together, NO NO NO:

- Summarize the key points of the following text as a bulleted list.

{Enter the text here}

Clear as day YESYESYES:

- Extract the key points from the text and present them as a bulleted list.

This structure effectively improves the model's accuracy in understanding tasks; for example, I used it to optimize a rhyming piece of writing (randomly written, with the official delimiter "###" used only once at the beginning), and it delivered exactly what I wanted—I'm very satisfied:

Before using this format, ChatGPT’s output was always just a bit off 🤔:

However, note that the example I used for testing was very simple—when practicing, it’s best to use the full official format.

For example, if I want to create a meme, I should first provide some references and explanations so it understands what kind of caption I want to add, where to place it, and what effect I’m aiming for—this way, ChatGPT can complete the task more accurately and respond more quickly:

For example, take the creation process of one of the memes in this article—don’t let it run wild, or you’ll be left in the dark ❌:

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Make it clear for it, and also provide a reference ✅:

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When performing tasks, you don't need to dump all the data at once to the AI;

You can start by giving a command to see how it performs;

Then, supplement it with a few examples to address its shortcomings.

If you still can't get it right at this point, you can start working on its mindset—feed the model with numerous correct examples, train it, and embed this capability into the model's parameters.

You can check out the example below 👇:

Zero-shot

Extract keywords from the following text

Text: {text content}

Keywords:

Few-shot - provide a couple of examples

Extract keywords from the following corresponding text.

Stripe provides an API that enables web developers to integrate payment processing functionality into websites and mobile applications.

OpenAI has trained state-of-the-art language models that excel in text understanding and generation. Our API enables access to these models, allowing you to solve nearly any text processing task. Keywords: OpenAI, language model, text processing, API interface

Text 3: {Text content} Keyword 3:

Fine-tune: see best practices for fine-tuning here.

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In summer, when buying fruit, the real "tragedy" is often not paying a high price for a clearly labeled durian;

Instead, they were swayed by promotional chalkboards on the street and bought a “blind box” that seemed cheap but relied entirely on luck for its quality.

After all, sometimes you get what you pay for—when you buy, the price is clear, you know exactly what you're getting, and the taste is sweet.

But once you're misled, even if the other party's scale is fair, what you receive might be a fruit with unclear value-for-money, no after-sales service, and quality left to chance.

The same applies to ChatGPT—you need to give it precise instructions so it can get the job done, rather than making it guess:

✅ChatGPT: Let’s get started, everyone!

This product offers a secure and intuitive platform for trading cryptocurrencies, designed for both beginners and experienced users. With advanced order types, real-time market data, and institutional-grade security, it empowers you to trade with confidence. Whether you're buying your first Bitcoin or managing a diversified portfolio, our platform adapts to your needs with seamless performance and 24/7 support.

❌ChatGPT: A few sentences?? (@#¥%&)

This product's description should be as concise as possible, using only a few sentences—no additional elaboration needed.

Many users using AI may be overly concerned about AI generating unwanted results, so after stating what they want to do, they anxiously repeat reminders like, “Don’t delete my first sentence,” or “Don’t change the original meaning.”

It's completely normal to have such concerns.

Just a reminder from OpenAI: After listing a series of things not to do, be sure to tell ChatGPT what to do and how to do it.

✅ What to do and under what circumstances:

Context: Below is the conversation between the Agent and the user. The Agent must attempt to identify the issue and provide a solution, while strictly avoiding any request for personal identifiable information (PII). Do not ask for private details such as usernames or passwords; instead, guide the user to review the help documentation.

User: I can't log in to my account.

Agent: ……(responds)

AI: Sometimes it feels quite helpless:

Here is the conversation between the agent and the user. Do not ask for usernames or passwords, and do not repeat statements.

User: I cannot log in to my account.

Agent: ……(responds)

Additionally, when you need ChatGPT to generate code for you, the correct approach is to clearly prepend guiding terms such as “import” or “SELECT” to your request.

For example, adding "import" prompts the model to begin writing Python code;

Similarly, when you add the "SELECT" statement, OpenAI prompts the model to begin writing SQL.

Never just dump the requirements on it ❌:

Write a simple Python function

Let me enter a mile value.

Convert miles to kilometers

Instead, ✅:

Write a simple Python function

Let me enter a mile value.

Convert miles to kilometers

Import (don’t forget!)

If, after mastering the eight techniques above, you still find writing prompts challenging or want to further reduce your effort, this final feature is your ultimate shortcut.

With OpenAI’s newly launched “Generate Anything” feature, you simply describe what you want to do, and GPT will automatically generate the ideal prompt to help you easily achieve your goal.

For example, GPT can help remove unwanted pedestrians from photos and enhance images, or even compose a lighthearted poem based on your current mood—GPT will do its best to assist. (Feel free to try it out yourself!)

Anyway, learning from paper is ultimately shallow—take this guide and go tame your ChatGPT!

Or if you have mastered prompt engineering techniques, feel free to show off in the comments!～～～

This article is from the WeChat public account "Quantum Bit" (ID: QbitAI), authored by: Focused on frontier technology.