Brainstorming and generating ideas

Example prompt: Due to inflation, the cost of living has risen significantly leading to financial struggles for many people. What are some ways to help people relieve their economic problems within three-months?

• Can AI tools provide a wide range of ideas? Are they capable of generating diverse and unbiased ideas?
• Can AI tools understand empathy and the need to overcome problems that they are asked about? 
• Where did the data used to generate the ideas come from? 
• What do the AI companies gain from providing this service to me?
• Am I hindering my learning by relying too much on technology? 
• Am I missing out on opportunities for human interaction by relying solely on technology? 

• HELPS Drop-in support sessions provide an opportunity to ask for feedback.
• Peer support programs such as U:PASS and UTS Study Group can be beneficial for learning how to brainstorm and generate ideas.  

The accuracy and relevance of AI-generated text is impacted by the type of prompts you use.

Copilot prompts are instructions or questions you use to tell Copilot what you want. Prompts can include four parts:

• Goal (what you want): "I want a list of 3-5 bullet points to prepare…"
• Context (why you need it and who is involved): "…for an upcoming meeting with Sam..."
• Expectations (how Copilot should respond): "Respond with a tone that's friendly and authoritative…"
• Source (what information Copilot should use): "Use email and chats over the last two weeks."

You can put a little or a lot into a prompt, but all that's required is a clear goal. If you want to be more specific, add the other parts.

Microsoft has lots of example prompts that you can edit to make your own. Select a prompt and change it to suit your needs. Here's an example:

Original prompt Create a script to explain [concept] to a [role/target audience], including an explanation of what it is, how it works, and a value proposition. Include 2 analogies to help explain it to someone new to this concept.

Edited prompt Create a script to explain Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to a potential customer, including an explanation of what it is, how it works, and a value proposition. Include 2 analogies to help explain it to someone new to this concept.