Prompts, prompt engineering, prompt library: what’s the deal with all that prompting?
In the world of AI, where data and technology increasingly overlap, there is one term that is gaining popularity: prompt engineering. But what does that really mean? In this blog, written by our AI specialist Floris Pauwels, we dive into the world of prompts, prompt engineering and how a prompt library contributes to better AI applications.
In an earlier article, we discussed how important prompt engineering is for using AI, especially to ensure the reliability and relevance of generated information. In that article, you learn more about the importance of prompts and find some real-life examples. In this blog, we clarify the terminology around prompts using seven questions. Floris Pauwels, with his background in AI and robotics and his almost symbiotic relationship with AI, is the perfect person to put to the test. He even prepared this interview with the help of ChatGPT.
What is a prompt?
A prompt is a short text you enter to put an AI tool to work. Think of it as a question or instruction you give the AI, after which it starts “talking”. It can range from a simple question to a complex instruction. Floris describes it as follows: “It’s like encouraging and whispering to the AI what it should do”. Think of it as giving a command to your smart assistant. This can be either a question or an instruction.
What makes a prompt a good prompt?
A good prompt is clear, concise and provides all the necessary information without room for misinterpretation. “It doesn’t even have to be a fancy sentence structure”, says Floris. “It’s all about clarity and completeness.” The real work often starts with drafting questions that the AI understands well, and that can range from summarising legal documents to writing specific code. “Asking follow-up questions is part of the process”, Floris explains. “It’s about having a dialogue with the knowledge of the AI.” The great thing is that you can store frequently used prompts in a library, thus reusing them more often in combination with new documents as well as making these prompts available to colleagues.
What is prompt engineering?
Prompt engineering is the process of developing and refining prompts to get the best answers from AI. It is an art and science at the same time, where you learn how best to instruct the AI for optimal results. Floris emphasises: “It’s about designing questions that the AI understands well and that produce the desired output. It’s like building a bridge between humans and machines”.
Is there a ‘prompt engineer’ in everyone?
Floris believes so. “Anyone can learn it”, he says. “Just like anyone can google.” It’s about understanding the logic and using the right keywords. But there is more: “By talking to AI, you learn to make better and better prompts. It is a continuous learning process”. Floris sees prompt engineering as a skill we can all develop, with a little practice and curiosity.
Is prompting a piece of cake?
“Absolutely”, Floris laughs. “Prompting is not advanced mathematics.” It is similar to asking questions to a search engine. With the right information and a little practice, anyone can make good prompts. Companies like Epona also help by providing standard prompts and prompt libraries. “We already have a basic prompt library for our customers”, says Floris. “And it is constantly being expanded. By us and by users.”
What is Epona's added value in all that prompting?
Epona offers an extensive prompt library and tools to develop your own prompts. Floris explains: “We have integrated standard prompts into our Document Management System (DMS). Think of commands like ‘create a summary’ or ‘delete sensitive data'”. These prompts help lawyers work with greater ease by automating routine tasks. “Our prompt engineers ensure that these AI capabilities fit well with our customers’ needs”, Floris adds.
What do you like about prompt engineering?
“You work with the latest technology and immediately see the result of your work.” For him, it is a perfect blend of creativity and technical knowledge. “Although I sometimes lack some legal practical experience, these new tools allow me to participate and even lead the way.” Floris sees prompt engineering as an opportunity to change how the legal profession works. “The manual work, the repetitive work, will be automated, allowing legal professionals to focus on more personal or more complex tasks”, he concludes.
Prompt engineering has a lot to offer, both for techies and lawyers. With tools and libraries like Epona’s, it will be possible for anyone to work effectively with AI. So, whether you are a seasoned lawyer or just starting out with AI, there is a prompt for everyone. And as Floris puts it beautifully: “Anyone can learn it, you just have to ask the right questions”.
