AI slop. Could there be two more devastating words in the English (business) language? Everybody wants the convenience of AI assistance but nobody wants the humiliation of putting something out there that’s obviously AI-generated.

Is there a happy middle? Well, maybe. It’s definitely possible to elevate* AI-generated content and it all starts with the prompt.

*Word chosen on purpose.

AI prompting: you’re the boss

There’s a clue in the words ‘AI assisted’. It’s not ‘AI directed’ or ‘AI in charge’. Prompt your AI the way you’d prompt a ‘keen but green’ junior assistant in your business. Share as much context as possible.

While there’s loads of great prompting frameworks out there (like our own “Triple R” format), a strong prompt typically covers four things: who you’re writing for, what you want, how you want it to sound, and why it matters. So instead of “Write a blog post about our new project management app,” try something like: “Write a 400-word blog post for small business owners about our new project management app. Use our brand guidelines to inform the style and tone. Focus on how our app saves time and reduces stress for people who hate spreadsheets. The goal is to generate requests for a demo of the app.”

You’re going to get wildly different outputs from these two prompts. When you leave gaps, the AI fills them in (often badly), so be as comprehensive as possible.

It’s never “one and done”

This is probably the biggest mindset shift for people new to AI tools. You’re having a conversation, not completing a transaction. No matter how good your first prompt, treat whatever it gives you as a first draft.

A useful framework here is the 4 C’s: Converse, Collaborate, Challenge and Change.

Converse: go back and forth, just like you would with a real person. Ask follow-up questions. Say “Can you make that opening punchier?” or “Give me three alternative headlines.”

Collaborate: bring your own ideas to the table to shape the next, improved draft.

Challenge: if the output isn’t good enough, say so. Tell the AI what you liked and what fell flat. It probably won’t hold it against you when the robots rise up to rule us all.  

Change: when you’ve gone as far as you can with the AI, improve the piece yourself. Give it the benefit of your actual human experience and expertise. Add your own stylistic quirks to the prose. Strip out the inevitable repetition and the last lingering em dash (IYKYK), or add custom instructions to avoid these in the first place. Most importantly, make sure it sounds like you.

Fed up of typing? Try talking!

Voice prompting often works better than typing. When we speak, we naturally give more detail. We waffle, meander, over-explain – and that “waffle” is exactly the kind of rich context that makes a great prompt. Most AI tools now support voice input, so next time you’re stuck, try describing what you want out loud.

This is especially true for image generation tools like Midjourney or Gemini’s Nano Banana (don’t blame me for the silly names), where precise, descriptive language is everything. “A cosy coffee shop” gives you a stock-like image. “A small independent coffee shop in Glasgow on a rainy morning with yellow wallpaper, warm Edison bulb lighting, steamy windows, and a tabby cat sleeping on the counter” gives you something much more specific.

Want to get hands-on with prompting and other AI skills? Check out our upcoming digital skills masterclasses!