Let’s be honest: none of us were born knowing how to talk to AI. It’s a bit like learning to ride a bike—awkward at first, but once you get the hang of it, you start to see how far it can take you.

And while AI is a powerful tool, it’s still just that—a tool. It’s only as good as the guidance it gets. So let’s take a moment to walk through two of the most common prompt-writing missteps, and what you can do instead to get results that are actually useful—and maybe even impressive.

1. Being Too Vague

Blunder: “Write a summary.”

Fix: Be specific—include the subject, tone, format, and length.

Now, I appreciate brevity as much as the next person. But if you ask your AI assistant to “write a summary,” without telling it what to summarize, how to say it, or who it’s for, you’re going to get something about as useful as a weather report from last week.

Instead, try something like: “Write a 3-sentence summary of a news article about the latest EU AI regulation, in a neutral tone.” That’s the kind of clarity that lets the system do what it does best. You’re not micromanaging—you’re just giving it a fair shot at getting it right.

2. Expecting Perfection on the First Try

Blunder: Expecting a perfect answer on the first try.

Fix: Use follow-ups to improve results.

We all want the first draft to be the last draft. But let’s not pretend that’s how life—or writing—works. AI is a lot like a junior designer: full of potential, eager to impress, and occasionally…a little off the mark.

That’s where you come in. Think of it as a partnership. You give feedback, ask for tweaks—“Can you make this more upbeat?” or “Let’s cut the fluff”—and before you know it, you’ve got something that sounds like you. Or at least, the version of you that had enough coffee and a clear calendar.

 

Bonus: unlike most collaborators, AI doesn’t take revision notes personally.

 

Final Thought

 

Working with AI isn’t about magic—it’s about momentum. When you’re clear, specific, and open to the process, the results get sharper every time. So if you’re using these tools, don’t just expect brilliance. Co-create it. That’s where the real value lies.