AI prompt generator: write better requests in minutes

What is a prompt?

A prompt is the message you send to an AI assistant: a question, an instruction, a request. The model answering you (the AI program behind the assistant) knows nothing about your situation, your intentions or your tastes. It only has what you write. A vague prompt gets a generic answer; a precise prompt gets an answer you can use right away.

The generator above helps you structure that request. Fill in the fields that make sense for you, or start from one of the 20 starter templates grouped by use, then copy the finished prompt and paste it into ChatGPT or whichever assistant you use. The tool calls no AI and sends nothing: it all stays on your screen.

Why these 5 elements?

The 5 fields mirror the questions a colleague would ask before getting to work.

• The AI’s role: “You are a letter-writing assistant,” “You are a fitness coach.” The role shapes the vocabulary, the level of expertise and the instincts behind the answer.
• The task: what you actually want, starting with an action verb (write, summarize, compare, suggest). It is the only field that is truly essential.
• The context: your situation, your constraints, what the AI needs to know. This is often what is missing, and what improves the answer most.
• The response format: bullet list, table, letter, a few lines… If you do not say, the assistant decides for you.
• The tone: formal, friendly, direct, educational. Essential as soon as the text is meant for someone else.

If a field is left empty, the tool shows a tip to help you fill it in. You do not have to complete everything: a short, clear prompt beats a long, muddled one.

Before and after examples

A letter to your landlord

Before: “Write a letter to my landlord about the leak.”

After: “You are an assistant who specializes in formal letters. Write a letter to my landlord reporting a leak under the kitchen sink that started last week and is damaging the cabinet. I am a tenant and I already called about it but got no reply. Format: a letter ready to send, with a subject line and a proper sign-off. Tone: polite but firm.”

A weekly meal plan

Before: “Make me a meal plan for the week.”

After: “You are a budget-conscious home cook. Suggest dinners for the week for a family with two kids, one of whom does not eat fish. We are short on time on weeknights. Format: a day-by-day table, followed by a shopping list grouped by store aisle. Tone: simple and practical.”

Meeting notes summary

Before: “Summarize this.” (followed by messy notes)

After: “You are an executive assistant. Summarize the meeting notes below for colleagues who were absent. Context: a team meeting about launching a new service. Format: decisions made, action items with the person responsible, open questions. Tone: neutral and concise.”

There is no magic formula here: the second version simply tells the AI what it could not have guessed.

Common mistakes

• Asking for everything at once: an email, a summary and a translation in the same message. It works better to make one request at a time.
• Forgetting the audience: a text for a child, a customer or a government office is not written the same way.
• Stopping at the first answer: you can reply “shorter,” “more formal,” “add an example.” The conversation is there to refine the result.
• Taking the AI at its word: an assistant can state something false with total confidence, which is called a hallucination. Check facts, dates, amounts and references before using them.
• Sending without rereading: always reread a generated letter, especially if it commits you to something.

Never paste sensitive data

What you type into an AI assistant may be stored by the service and, depending on your settings, used to improve its models. Never paste passwords, card or bank details, your Social Security number, health information, or confidential details about your employer or other people. Replace names with initials or generic terms (“my neighbor,” “Company X”). The generator keeps nothing, but the assistant you paste the prompt into applies its own rules. If in doubt, the Can I trust an agent with this? tool helps you weigh the risks.

Going further

If you are new to AI, the Start here learning path covers the basics step by step. The which AI is right for me quiz points you to the assistant that best fits your needs, and the glossary explains the terms you will come across.