“90% of AI is in the quality of your questions!” This is true.

Hello, this is Kakaoru.

With the remarkable evolution of AI these days, generative AI in particular can be like a club to an ogre or a right-hand man for writers; it is truly a god-tier tool.

I, too, have recently become completely captivated by its convenience and wonderful features, and I rely on it when creating articles.

At first, I didn't even know how to use it, and I struggled through trial and error while watching social media posts and videos from those at the forefront, but I feel like I've finally managed to get the hang of it over the last few months.

So, in this note, although I am humble, I wanted to share what I have felt and found useful while using AI, and convey its convenience to those who are not yet using it or are wondering what it is like.

However, I have keenly realized that with AI, especially generative AI like ChatGPT, 90% of the result depends on how you ask, or rather, that it is the most important factor, which is why I chose this topic.

I also explain things you should be careful about when using it.

I would be happy if you could read it.

The answer changes so much depending on how you ask. That is AI.

With AI, the answer will be completely different depending on how you ask the question.

In the first place, for AI to derive an answer to a question, it goes through the following process:

1. Understand the question -> 2. Search for the answer -> 3. Generate the answer

It goes through these steps.

However, if any of these do not work well, the answer will be completely different from what you intended.

Let's give a concrete example of that.

The intention of the question this time is how to ask questions to AI.

If possible, I would like it to show concrete examples of answers.

First, as a start, without giving detailed instructions,

I asked ChatGPT just with "AI how to ask questions".

And what came back is the following content.

There are several effective ways to ask questions to an AI. Here are some key points.

1. Clarify your question: The more specific and clear your question is, the easier it is for the AI to provide an accurate answer. Try to include specific elements and details rather than asking vague questions.

2. Keep it concise: AI answers more effectively to short, concise questions than to long or complex ones. Summarizing the main points clearly and omitting redundant information will improve the accuracy of the response.

3. Provide context: By clarifying the context of your question, you make it easier for the AI to provide a more accurate answer. For example, it is helpful to include specific topics, background information, or related facts in your question.

4. Consider the format of the question: There are various formats for questions. Choose the appropriate format based on the purpose and type of question, such as requesting information, seeking a specific answer, or asking for comparisons or options.

5. Ask follow-up questions or seek clarification: If there are unclear points in the AI's response or if you have additional questions, it is important to clarify them. You can obtain more specific information by asking follow-up questions as needed.

It is important to keep these points in mind and ask the AI specific and clear questions. Since AI has limited information, it can provide better answers when questions are clear and precise.

...I see.

It certainly feels like it's in the right ballpark, but I wanted a more concrete answer, so I will try changing how I ask.

Question: Please write about how to ask specific questions while providing actual examples.

It gave me the following answer to this question.

Certainly. Below are examples of how to ask specific questions.

1. Specific questions:

   • Are there any famous books with incorrect grammar?

   • What was the best-selling smartphone in 2022?

   • Are there any recommended restaurants for tourists in Paris?

2. Specify appropriate sources:

   • Based on news articles, please tell me the latest COVID-19 infection rate.

   • Based on academic papers, please tell me in detail about the impact of climate change.

3. Consider multiple perspectives:

   • Please tell me the pros and cons of smartwatches, including expert opinions and user reviews.

4. Verify the answer:

   • Based on the answers provided by AI, let's check them against other reliable sources. For example, compare the data provided by the AI with official statistical data.

5. Understand AI limitations:

   • It is better not to apply AI answers to questions regarding human emotions or subjective opinions. Instead, refer to expert opinions or real-life experiences.

By using these examples as a reference, you can ask specific and effective questions to AI. However, once you receive an answer from AI, don't forget to verify it and use your own judgment.

Finally, the intent of the question was conveyed.

You can see how important it is to communicate specifically.

90% of AI success is in the quality of your questions.

I hope you now understand that it is important to ask AI specific questions in this way.

For writers, you might want to ask for titles, outlines, and body text as well, but it is still important to ask detailed questions.

As I introduced earlier, for example, when asking about things to be careful about when selecting SEO keywords,

"SEO keyword selection"

If you ask a question like a web search, you will get an answer about how to write SEO articles in general.

So, let's ask directly here:

"Please tell me what I should be careful about when selecting keywords for SEO."

Let's ask that.

If you ask about the outline and body text in the same way, it will provide answers.

However, since it may return long sentences, it is a good idea to add a note asking it to be concise.

Also, sometimes the character count may cut off mid-sentence, but if you instruct it to continue, it will pick up right where it left off.

If you are not satisfied with the content, ask "Do you have any other options?" and it will provide a different pattern of answers, so keep asking until you are satisfied.

By the way, it is said that as you continue to ask questions, the AI keeps learning and gradually begins to understand the questioner's tendencies and strategies.

Caution is required when using AI

As shown, as long as your questions are appropriate, you can have AI write content for you in this manner.

There are some points to keep in mind when using ChatGPT, which I introduced this time, so I will explain them below.

Verify information yourself

AI returns information it has learned, but that information itself may be incorrect.

Also, it may sometimes provide answers that are not up-to-date.

Regarding ChatGPT, the AI itself (or should I say, this AI?) also issues this warning.

"My knowledge cutoff is September 2021. In other words, my knowledge is based on information up to September 2021. For the latest information or updates after that, I recommend checking the official OpenAI website or official announcements. To stay informed, it is important to refer to official OpenAI sources."

As you can see, in terms of the credibility and consistency of information, it is essential not to rely entirely on AI and to thoroughly verify it yourself.

Be careful about information leaks

Also, there is a risk of information leaks with AI. In particular, the free version of ChatGPT uses the data you input for learning.

If you input personal names or organization names, it may use them as learning data and generate them in answers to completely unrelated people.

For this reason, try to phrase your questions in a way that avoids inputting personal names or organization names.

Summary

So far, I have explained how important questioning skills are when dealing with AI and the points to keep in mind when using it.

Depending on how you use it, AI is a god-tier tool that can become like a powerful weapon or a right-hand assistant.

I especially recommend it to those who have never used AI before or who are not quite sure how it works.

I want to use AI wisely and make the most of it to improve my skills as a writer.