Chatbots are really very good at summarising and reformatting. This short collection of prompts will help users break down big topics with different approaches and perspectives.
They’re all best used as ‘user prompts’ direct in the chat interface.
1. Causal chains
Compress this topic. Speak only in causal chains. Topic:Tested on the World War II Wikipedia page. An example of the return was:
Unresolved World War I settlements → territorial losses, reparations, nationalist resentment → rise of fascism and militarism in Germany, Italy, Japan → rejection of collective security → erosion of international norms.
Economic instability and political radicalization → rearmament and expansionist ideology → appeasement by Britain and France → unchecked aggression in Europe and Asia.
2. Human customs
Explain this human custom to a silicon-based species with zero culture overlap, in toddler-level syntax. Topic:Tested on the Handshake Wikipedia page. The full return was:
Imagine two humans meet.
They want to say:
“I see you.”
“I am friendly.”
“I will not hurt you.”
So they do a handshake.
A handshake is this:
Human A takes one hand.
Human B takes one hand.
The hands hold each other.
The hands move up and down a little.
Then they let go.
It is very short.
Why they do it:
To say hello.
To say goodbye.
To say thank you.
To say we agree.
To show trust.
Long ago, humans held hands to show:
“I have no weapon.”
“No danger.”
So the other human feels safe.
Different places do it differently:
Some humans hold tight.
Some hold soft.
Some do it a long time.
Some do not do it at all.
Some bow or touch hands instead.
Sometimes humans stop handshakes:
Hands can carry tiny living things.
Tiny things can make humans sick.
So humans may bump fists, bow, or wave instead.
Simple idea:
Handshake = safe touch to show peace and respect.
Like saying:
“Friend.”
Compress this topic to a ≤140-character tweet, a six-word story, and a single emoji. Topic:Tested on the AI takeover Wikipedia page. The full return was:
≤140-character tweet
AI may outthink us—automating work, shaping economies, even governing—unless we align powerful systems with human values.
Six-word story
Machines learned faster. Humans lost control.
Single emoji
🤖
4. Glitch in the matrix
Be the glitch in the matrix. Diagnose reality feature:Tested on the National Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coins Wikipedia page. The return summarised the whole page, but essentially grabbed their weirdest and most curious details. Example return is below:
The National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins are a 2014 U.S. Mint issue celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. They weren’t pocket change — they’re collectible coins with legal tender face values but issued for commemoration and fundraising.
2) The Reality-Bending Shape — Curved, Not Flat
Here’s where reality starts to glitch:
These are the first curved (concave/convex) coins ever struck by the United States Mint — the obverse dips inward like a baseball glove, the reverse bulges outward like a baseball. Traditional coins are flat; these coins literally reshape the idea of coinage.
The design was mandated by Congress to resemble a baseball in three dimensions, referencing curved coins from French and Australian mints.
This is not just artistry — it’s a deliberate disruption of minting norms, almost like a bug in the economic fabric: currency that looks like sport equipment. Normal coins don’t have topography like that. Reality glitch confirmed.
5. Micro to Big Picture
Explain this concept at three metaphorical scales: “Quark”, “Earth”, “Galaxy”. One paragraph each. Topic:Tested on the World War II Wikipedia page again. The return was:
Quark-scale metaphor
World War II is like a tiny but extremely energetic particle interaction at the core of history: individual nations (like particles) with internal pressures and instabilities suddenly collide, releasing immense force that reshapes immediate surroundings. Just as quark exchanges determine the identity and energy states within an atom, the aggressive ambitions, treaties, and alliances activated a chain reaction of battles and decisions that transformed political identities and power dynamics on a fundamental level.
Earth-scale metaphor
On the scale of a planet, World War II was a global storm system that swept over every continent’s weather patterns, involving most countries in fierce conflict. Like hurricanes and seismic activity redistributing landmasses over geological time, the war’s huge battles, mass mobilisations, and societal upheavals reshaped borders, economies, and societies; its aftermath brought new international structures such as the United Nations and triggered decolonisation and the Cold War.
Galaxy-scale metaphor
Viewed on a cosmic, galactic scale, World War II resembles a collision between two massive star clusters whose gravitational interaction alters the trajectory of surrounding stars and dust. The Axis and Allied powers were like dense regions whose clash disrupted the broader galactic “field” of global affairs for decades: entire systems were reconfigured, new power superclusters emerged (the US and USSR), and their mutual influence set the dynamics of the surrounding galactic neighbourhood of nations far into the future.
6. Parliament of Archetypes
Model this topic as a parliament of archetypes. Record a one-minute debate transcript, then the final vote. Topic:Tested on the World War II Wikipedia page again.
Moderator: Topic — World War II: causes, impact, and lessons.
Historian: “World War II was a global conflict from 1939–1945 involving major powers split into Allies and Axis. It reshaped nations, accelerated decolonization, and led to the United Nations’ founding.”
Pacifist: “It stands as a warning of the costs of militarism; tens of millions of deaths show why peaceful conflict resolution must be paramount.”
Strategist: “It also shows how industrial capacity, logistics, and technology determine outcomes in total war — from codebreaking to combined arms operations.”
Survivor: “For individuals, it meant occupation, displacement, and genocide. The Holocaust and civil suffering are central human lessons.”
Politician: “Postwar structures — the UN, NATO, reconstruction aid — were built to prevent another such war and stabilize international relations.”
Historian: “We must balance understanding causes — Treaty of Versailles, expansionist ideologies, economic distress — with consequences.”
Pacifist: “And ensure those causes are addressed without glorifying war.”
Strategist: “Recognition of strategic lessons doesn’t equate to glorification.”
Survivor: “Remember victims first.”
Politician: “Policy must reflect that memory.”
Final Vote (pass/fail on resolution: ‘World War II should be studied primarily to prevent future wars’):
Historian: Pass
Pacifist: Pass
Strategist: Pass
Survivor: Pass
Politician: Pass
Outcome: Unanimous pass.
