When using AI systems, what are some best practices for ensuring the results you receive are accurate, relevant, and aligned with your original goals?

Assigning a character or role to the AI in the prompt, providing real examples or documents as well as specific outputs to ensure the AI responses are aligned to the task. Additionally, refining the prompt and evaluating each response

Define clear goals and give specific prompts

Verify outputs with trusted sources

Refine prompts through iteration

Use critical thinking (don’t blindly trust AI)

Avoid sharing sensitive data

Review results with team when needed

Define clear goals and give specific prompts

Verify outputs with trusted sources

Refine prompts through iteration

Use critical thinking (don’t blindly trust AI)

Avoid sharing sensitive data

Review results with team when needed

Give AI specific examples to work with. Be as specific as possible regarding expected output and format. I have even given AI our brand materials so that presentations are consistent with branding.

Being methodic and precise in what we ask (by using some of the RTF or CREATE formulas, for instance) is key, but I think it also comes from a good preparation from the project manager ahead of prompting, in order to clarify what goal they have and output they expect to receive from AI. Once this is clear, it gets easier to place a clear request to AI. And the more we practice, the better we all get, both the GenAI and the person using it.

the core principle is treat AI as a “decision support system” and not a source of truth