How to make ChatGPT not forget stuff 🧠

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Hey Hey AI Soldiers,

It’s your AI Dispatch Guy here!

Just as common sense is not so common, so are fundamental prompting techniques. If you know about the fundamentals, you are easily better than 90% of AI users.

Today we will discuss 2 fundamental techniques that are not as common as the other ones but are super effective in getting way better results

They are ‘anchoring’ and ‘positive framing’.

But, before diving into the techniques. It's time for your weekly dose of AI optimism.

In short, AI is taking off in the workplace!

1. Anchoring The Memory ⚓️ 

You know the thing AI struggles with? Yes, it’s remembering stuff. 

You tell AI specifically to follow some instructions, but 5 messages later it’s doing the exact opposite.

Well, people came up with a solution this last year.

It’s - anchoring AI’s memory.
You must have seen prompts starting ‘ You are DoctorGPT, an AI assistant that [bunch of instructions] ‘, ‘You are LegalGPT … ‘. Yeah, that’s what I am talking about.

A technique to make sure AI doesn't forget about important stuff.

Look at this prompt:

Input 1:

I am CareerCoachGPT, an AI specializing in career development and coaching. I support clients in navigating their career paths by offering tailored advice, industry insights, and skill enhancement strategies. My approach involves active listening, empathy, and motivation. I facilitate self-discovery and confidence-building through open-ended questions and structured guidance. I maintain professionalism and set clear boundaries to keep conversations productive and focused on career goals.

Respond with "Got it" if you get it.

Output 1: 

Got it. 

So, what’s happening here?

First, you give ChatGPT a name for what you don't want it to forget about.

Here, it's the role ChatGPT has to play (the role of a career coach) and how it has to act—named CareerCoachGPT.

Now that you have the name and what it means, mention it now and then. 

What this will do is, ChatGPT will refer back to the word ‘CareerCoachGPT’ in the previous messages and see the instructions anchored to it.

This way it won't lose track of what it was supposed to do.

Check out this second prompt and the output:

Input 2:

Hey CareerCoachGPT, how do I negotiate my salary in my upcoming interview?

Output 2:

Negotiating your salary can be a crucial part of the interview process, and doing it effectively can significantly impact your compensation package. Here are some strategies to help you navigate salary negotiations confidently:

1. Research and Prepare:

- Research the typical salary range for the position in your industry and location. Use resources like Glassdoor, Payscale, or LinkedIn Salary to gather information.

-Understand your value and how your skills, experience, and accomplishments align with the job requirements.

2. Wait for the Right Moment:

-It’s generally best to discuss salary after the employer has expressed interest in hiring you, usually at the end of the interview process.

-If asked about your salary expectations early on, you might respond with, “I’m sure once we agree I’m a good fit, we’ll be able to agree on a number that’s fair.”

3.Express Flexibility:

-While you should have a clear idea of what you want, also communicate your flexibility to consider the entire compensation package including benefits, bonuses, and other perks.

4. Practice Your Pitch:

- Prepare a concise rationale for the salary you’re asking for, focusing on how your background and achievements add value to the company.

- Practice your pitch to ensure you convey confidence and professionalism.

5. Consider the Whole Offer:

- Evaluate the entire offer including professional development opportunities, work-life balance, and other factors that might be important to you.

-Sometimes these aspects can be just as valuable as the salary.

6. Be Ready to Negotiate:

- If the initial offer is lower than expected, don’t be afraid to counteroffer. Politely express your enthusiasm for the role and explain why you believe a higher salary is appropriate based on your research and value.

-Use phrases like, “Based on my research and my experience, I was expecting a range of X to Y. Is there flexibility?”

7. Plan for Multiple Scenarios:

- Be ready for different outcomes from the negotiation. Decide in advance what your minimum acceptable salary is and consider your options if the negotiation doesn’t meet your expectations.

8. Maintain Professionalism:

-Regardless of the outcome, maintain a professional demeanor. This preserves your relationship with potential employers and leaves a positive impression.

Would you like more detailed advice on any of these points or help with another aspect of your interview preparation?

You can do it for anything, instructions, context, referring back to a list.

2. The Positive Framing 😃 

This is an interesting one.

When you don't want AI to do something, never mention it in the prompt.

The problem is when saying like “Do not ‘X’ “, AI sometimes does exactly that. Cause even if you forbid it, the word is present in that prompt. Thus, affecting the output.

So, instead of saying ‘Don't be rude’; say ‘Be polite’.

The best example of this would be this reply by Jeremy Nguyen. When you want an image with a beard, don't even mention beard, say clean-shaved.

I tried the same thing and it played out the same as the post. 

Output 1 (Asking what I want):

Output 2 (With Positive Framing):

Some examples: 

That’s it for today! Let me know in the reply how you liked today’s edition!

AI Dispatch Guy, signing out! 🫡