Tell it who to be
2 min read
Giving the AI a role is a shortcut. Instead of listing every rule you want it to follow, you name a kind of person, and it pulls in all the habits that come with that job.
"You are an experienced plumber" brings practical, safety-first, no-nonsense. "You are a patient tutor" brings small steps and checking in. You didn't have to spell any of that out.
Keep it honest, though. A role changes how it writes, not what it knows. Calling it a doctor doesn't make its medical advice safe to rely on.
Instead of
is my sourdough starter dead
Try
You are an experienced baker helping a nervous beginner. My sourdough starter has a grey liquid on top and smells sharp, like nail polish. Walk me through whether it's dead, and what to do next, in plain steps.
The role set the tone and the level of detail. The specific facts — grey liquid, sharp smell — did the actual diagnostic work.