Inside the AI Prompt-a-Thon

Sitting at their computers, guided by Microsoft’s Dr. Michael J. Jabbour and Yale IT’s Michelle Morgan, staff engaged in a relatively new concept: an AI prompt-a-thon. At this interactive One IT Conference session, participants learned how to use AI, how to add the right “prompt ingredients,” and how to facilitate sessions to promote AI literacy across Yale.

During the nearly two-hour event, the group used three AI tools (Yale’s Secure AI Chatbot, Microsoft’s CoPilot, and ChatGPT) to experiment with prompts, described by Microsoft as “having a conversation, using plain but clear language, and providing context like you would with an assistant.” As a first step, Jabbour suggested telling AI what you need, such as, “I am a [insert person], and I need to solve [insert problem].” You can use similar prompts to edit text, summarize information, transform documents into other formats, and more. Next, he added additional “ingredients,” such as the goal, context, source, and expectations. Finally, he described ways to keep the conversation going, such as asking for step-by-step guidance and sharing helpful do’s and don’ts.

For those interested in diving deeper, Jabbour described the benefits of creating a dedicated chatbot to simulate conversation with human end users. For example, a chatbot designed to view content from the perspective of an Ivy League student might provide valuable insights to a staff member who needs to support them. Through increased use of AI and chatbots, the Yale community can “foster creativity and development in the realm of AI, integrating advanced tech into educational programs,” according to Jabbour.

While it is critical to abide by the Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI Tools, as shared in a September 2023 message to the Yale community, this should not hinder learning and exploration, so long as it is done “safely and responsibly,” as stated in the message. To that end, anyone who is interested in facilitating a prompt-a-thon at Yale, which offers temporary access to Yale’s Secure AI Chatbot and information on how to run a session, is invited to contact Project Manager John Baldo (john.baldo@yale.edu) at the Yale University Library.