DEV Community

modelkiwi
modelkiwi

Posted on

That 'useless' AI answer is almost never the model's fault

Everyone has received a useless AI response and blamed the model. Most of the time it's the prompt — and the fix is cheaper than switching models.

Here's the structure that works.

The 4-part formula:ompt is the problem. Here's the structure that works.

The 4-part formula:

[ROLE] You are an expert in X.
[CONTEXT] We have Y, we need to do Z.
[TASK] Do W with these rules...
[FORMAT] Respond as a list / JSON / under N words.
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Tips that pay off:

  1. Be specific about format — "respond with JSON fields name and price" beats "give me information";
  2. Give examples (few-shot) — 2-3 examples beat 10 lines of instructions;
  3. Ask for step-by-step on complex tasks;
  4. Control temperature — 0 for deterministic tasks, 0.7-1.0 for creativity;
  5. Iterate — treat prompts like code: versioned and testable.

Underrated trick: ask the model to list its assumptions before answering. It reveals ambiguity in your prompt faster than any review.


Want to try these models in your project? **ModelKiwi* gives you access to GPT, Claude and Gemini with PIX payment (no international credit card needed) and free credits to start: https://www.modelkiwi.com. WhatsApp: +5521999500402 — and join our channel: https://t.me/ModelkiwiOfficial.*

Top comments (0)