I test AI tools for a living — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Manus, and just about every chatbot that hits the scene. And while each one has its quirks, I’ve learned something surprising: the right prompt can work wonders no matter which AI assistant you’re using.
That’s right, after years of testing and tweaking, these are the five prompts I keep coming back to. They’re simple, powerful, and incredibly versatile — and no matter what chatbot is your favorite, they could change how you use AI.
So, whether you’re working, learning, or trying to get through a messy to-do list, you might want to consider making these your go-to prompts.
1. Securing the right tone
Prompt: “Rewrite this in two tones: one casual and one professional.”
Why it works:
Tone is everything in writing. When using AI, the more specific you can be with the vibe you want the better because even the best chatbots aren’t great at it unless you get specific. This prompt works for emails, website copy, or social posts when you want to get the perfect text.
In this example (casual and professional) one version might help you sound more approachable, while the other nails clarity and confidence. And once you have both, you can cherry-pick what works best or even merge them into something that really hits.
Try it with:
Cold emails, blog intros, Instagram captions, customer service replies, LinkedIn posts, or internal memos where the tone matters as much as the content.
Bonus tip:
Swap out the tone styles to experiment further.
“Rewrite this in the voice of a Gen Z founder vs. a seasoned exec.”
“One version for a TED Talk, one for a Reddit comment.”
“One persuasive, one skeptical.”
It’s a great way to test how your message lands before you hit send.
2. Summarization
Prompt: “Summarize this without losing nuance”
Why it works: Most AI chatbots are pretty good at summarizing, but some oversimplify. The end result might be shorter, but it’s also missing the nuance that made the original worth reading. Some chatbots flatten out the tone, gloss over contradictions, or entirely leave out crucial parts that matter.
This prompt changes that. It nudges the AI to be more thoughtful and deliberate, preserving the important context, emotional tone, and subtle takeaways that would otherwise get lost in translation.
Try it with: Meeting notes, long articles, transcripts, legal docs, or just about anything you meant to read last week but didn’t.
Bonus tip: Paste in your content and prompt the AI: “Summarize this without losing nuance. Keep key quotes and stats where relevant and note any conflicting points or important tone shifts.” You’ll get a tighter version that still respects the original — basically, your own personal editor with an uncanny ability to read between the lines.
3. Asking the right questions
Prompt: “What questions should I be asking about this topic / plan / idea before I move forward?”
Why it works:
Instead of just asking for answers, this prompt turns your chatbot into a strategic thinking partner. It encourages the AI to surface angles you may not have considered — things like hidden risks, clarifying questions, or follow-up steps that can make your decision or project stronger. It’s one of the fastest ways to pressure-test your thinking and make sure you’re not missing anything important.
Try it with:
Big decisions, career moves, startup ideas, writing projects, new habits, job interviews, or anytime you’re in planning mode but not sure what to ask next.
Bonus tip:
You can tailor this prompt to different contexts or roles for more targeted insight:
“What would a lawyer ask before signing this?”
“What should I ask before launching this on social?”
“What questions would a skeptical investor raise?”
This prompt goes beyond just giving answers becaues it helps sharpen your thinking.
4. Creative ideas
Prompt: “Give me 3 ideas for [X], and explain why each one could work”
Why it works: Whether you're brainstorming baby names, birthday gifts, or marketing strategies, this prompt delivers more than just a list because it offers options with context.
By asking the AI to explain why each idea could work, you're not just getting surface-level suggestions, you're getting a mini pitch for each one. That second part is key because it offers the rationale behind an idea making it easier to pick the best one, tweak it, or combine elements into something even better. It turns the AI into more than a suggestion machine and more of a creative collaborator.
Try it with: Content creation, party planning, clever email subject lines, social media captions, gift-giving dilemmas, writing blocks and just about anything where you need fresh ideas and a little confidence to move forward.
Bonus tip: Want even more from it? Follow up with:
"Rank these based on originality."
"Which one would perform best on Instagram?"
"Combine idea 1 and idea 3 into something more unique."
The more you push, the better the output, just like a real brainstorming session.
5. Challenge ideas
Prompt: “Play devil’s advocate and poke holes in this idea. Be brutally honest.”
Why it works:
Sometimes you don’t need a cheerleader, you need a critic. I've written about how AI tends to make us lazier in the way we come up with solutions. But this prompt tells the AI to stop sugarcoating and start stress-testing to really get to the heart of the matter. which can ultimately help us stretch our strategic thinking muscles.
Whether you're pitching a startup, outlining a blog post, or prepping for a debate, this prompt helps you surface weak spots, blind assumptions, and counterarguments that you might have missed (before someone else does).
Try it with:
Business plans, pitches, product ideas, hot takes, essays, marketing copy, or anything you’re about to present to a skeptical audience.
Bonus tip:
Want even sharper critique? Add:
“Respond like an investor with limited patience.”
“Be a rival company trying to discredit this.”
“What would a Reddit thread hate about this?”
It’s a shortcut to building confidence in your idea — or improving it fast.
6. Expert advice
Prompt: “Act like an expert in [field] and explain this in plain English”
Why it works: All the top chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok are trained on massive amounts of technical and academic information. That’s great, that is, until they start giving responses that sound like they’re writing a peer-reviewed journal article. This prompt helps cut through that. Essentially, it's telling the AI to take off the lab coat and explain things like a real person. Whether you’re trying to decode a dense insurance document, a dishwasher manual, or understand a contract before you sign it, this prompt gets you clarity without the headache.
Try it with: Contracts, lease agreements, insurance documents, scientific articles, or any tech-heavy explanation that leaves you squinting.
Bonus tip: The real magic happens when you add context about you. Add this to the prompt to get even more personal:
“Explain this to someone without a law degree.”
“Break this down for a parent of a child with an IEP.”
“Talk to me like I’m new to investing and don’t want to sound clueless.”
The more personal you make it, the better the AI adapts its tone — turning confusing info into something you can actually use.
7. Getting it done faster
Prompt: “What’s the fastest way to do this using AI tools I might already have access to?”
Why it works:
We often ask AI to do something — but not often enough do we ask it how to optimize the whole task. This prompt flips the perspective and invites the chatbot to become a strategist, recommending smarter workflows, shortcuts, or tool combos that you may already have in your AI toolbox.
You’ll often discover AI features you didn’t know existed — or find out how to combine tools like Gemini + DeepSeek, or ChatGPT + Perplexity, to get things done faster and better.
Try it with:
Research tasks, scheduling, content creation, brainstorming, daily planning, or onboarding someone to a new system.
Bonus tip:
Follow up with:
“Include any browser extensions or hidden settings.”
“Show me how to automate this with Gemini in Gmail.”
“Break this into 3 steps I can do in under 15 minutes.”
This prompt turns AI into your productivity coach offering a variety of potential solutions.
8. Discovery
Prompt: “What am I missing here?”
Why it works: Sometimes you're too close to your own ideas to see the gaps, which is where this prompt shines. It invites the AI to step into the role of a thoughtful assistant, pointing out flaws, risks, or blind spots you might have overlooked.
I’ve found this really helpful when I’m outlining a project or drafting an outline. But if I’m being totally honest, I’ve used it just get through my day with a mile-long to-do list.
This prompt can offer a reality check. It's like having a second brain that’s objective, logical, and surprisingly good at playing devil’s advocate.
Try it with: To-do lists, business strategies, lesson plans, startup pitches, marketing emails, or any situation where you need to stress-test your thinking before you hit “send.”
Bonus tip: For better results, paste in your plan and say:
“From an outside perspective, what am I missing, underestimating, or getting wrong?”
You can also add context like: “Assume you're an investor,” or “Respond like a skeptical parent,” to tailor the kind of feedback you get.
9. Mental organization
Prompt: “Turn this into a checklist / table / calendar / step-by-step plan”
Why it works: This prompt is another good antidote to mental clutter. Clearly, it’s why I use these every day. When you’ve got a jumbled mess of ideas — whether it’s a brain-dump paragraph, a half-baked project outline, or a list scribbled in 12 different tabs — this prompt tells the AI to organize it all for you.
It’s like handing your chaos to a super-organized assistant who just gets it. In seconds, that messy blob turns into a clean, usable format. It’s a lifesaver for organizing a checklist, a timeline, a table, or a structured plan you can actually follow. No spreadsheet skills required.
Try it with:
Daily routines, content calendars, vacation packing lists, weekly goals, meal plans, or project outlines that need structure.
Bonus tip:
You can follow up with prompts like:
“Turn this into a Notion-style table with columns for due date, priority, and status.”
“Color-code by urgency: red for urgent, yellow for medium, green for low.”
“Add estimated time to complete next to each step.”
This one’s especially great when your brain feels overloaded — just dump everything in, and let AI clean it up into something you can act on.
Final thoughts
As chatbots get smarter and more personal, their differences have almost become preferences. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but these five prompts are like a Swiss Army knife because they work across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and beyond.
Give them a try for problem solving, breaking things down, or getting organized, and let me know in the comments what you think. Which chatbot do you prefer? I want to know that too!
