Discover OpenAI’s New Prompting Guide: A Simple Yet Powerful Resource

In the midst of discussions surrounding OpenAI’s intriguing model naming practices—like the leap from GPT-4 to 4.1—there’s an incredibly valuable resource that has been released quietly yet effectively: a comprehensive prompting guide tailored for honing effective prompts, especially with the latest version of GPT-4.1.

This guide is designed to be straightforward, offering clarity and efficiency for tasks that require structured outputs, logical reasoning, tool utilization, and agent-based functionalities. Below, we outline the essential components of this guide, helping you to craft prompts that yield optimal results.

Comprehensive Prompting Framework

1. Define Role and Objective

Begin by specifying the model’s role and what you aim to achieve.

• Example: “You are an informative research assistant tasked with summarizing detailed technical documents. Your aim is to create clear summaries that focus on the key points.”

2. Provide Clear Instructions

Give precise directives regarding behavior, tone, formatting, and any boundaries that should be respected.

• Instruction Example: “Respond with professionalism and brevity. Refrain from speculation; if uncertain, say ‘I do not have enough information.’ Please use bullet points for your responses.”

3. Utilize Sub-Instructions (Optional)

Incorporate additional targeted details for enhanced control over the model’s responses.

• Suggested Phrases: Use “Based on the document…” in place of “I think…”
• Topics to Avoid: Do not engage in discussions concerning politics or current affairs.
• Clarification Prompts: For missing context, ask thoughtfully: “Could you provide the document or context you wish to have summarized?”

4. Encourage Step-by-Step Reasoning

Promote thorough internal deliberation and planning before arriving at an answer.

• Prompt Suggestions: “Think through your answer step-by-step.” “Outline your approach before executing, and reflect afterward.”

5. Specify Output Format

Clearly delineate how the results should be structured.

• Formatting Example: Summary: [1-2 lines] Key Points: [10 Bullet Points] Conclusion: [Optional]

6. Provide Examples (Optional but Beneficial)

Use examples to illustrate the type of high-quality responses expected.

• Input Example: “What is your return policy?”
• Output Example: “Our policy permits returns within 30 days with