Most people are driving a Ferrari like it’s a go-kart. They have access to the most powerful artificial intelligence models in history—tools capable of writing code, diagnosing complex problems, and strategizing business moves—yet they use them like a glorified Google search. They type simple, one-sentence questions and receive simple, generic answers.
If you feel like ChatGPT or Claude is “just okay” or “a bit robotic,” the problem isn’t the tool. It’s the user. To unlock true Value From AI, you need to fundamentally change how you speak to the machine. The difference between a generic Wikipedia-style summary and a business-changing insight often comes down to a single “hack” in your prompting strategy.
In this guide, we reveal the “80/20 Rule of Prompting” that will instantly help you extract massive Value From AI with zero extra effort.
The “Context” Hack: The Secret to Getting Value From AI
The biggest mistake beginners make is assuming the AI knows what they want. It doesn’t. It is a prediction engine, guessing the next word based on probability. If you give it vague input, it gives you the most probable (average) output. To get exceptional Value From AI, you must provide context.
Think of the AI as a brilliant, Harvard-educated intern on their first day. They have all the book smarts in the world, but they don’t know your business, your tone, or your goals. If you say “write an email,” they will write a stiff, generic template. If you say, “Act as a senior sales manager writing a polite but firm rejection email to a vendor who missed a deadline,” you get gold. This specific instruction is the secret to unlocking Value From AI.
3 Steps to Unlock Maximum Value From AI
Here is the exact formula you need to use every time you open a chatbot. It takes 30 seconds to type but saves you 30 minutes of editing.
1. Assign a Persona
Never ask a naked question. Always start with “Act as…” or “You are…” This forces the model to adopt a specific dataset and communication style.
- Bad Prompt: “How do I fix my back pain?”
- Good Prompt: “Act as a physical therapist with 20 years of experience in sports medicine. I have lower back pain from sitting all day. Give me 3 safe exercises.”
By setting the persona, you narrow the search space of the model, ensuring the Value From AI you receive is expert-level rather than generalist.
2. Define the Output Format
Don’t let the AI guess how you want the answer. Tell it. If you want a table, ask for a table. If you want a Python script, ask for a JSON block.
- The Command: “Format your response as a markdown table with columns for ‘Pros’, ‘Cons’, and ‘Estimated Cost’.”
Controlling the format is a huge part of getting Value From AI because it makes the data immediately usable. You don’t have to reformat it yourself; you can just copy and paste.
3. The “Chain of Thought” Method
If you have a complex problem, ask the AI to “think step-by-step.” Research shows that when Large Language Models (LLMs) are forced to explain their reasoning before giving an answer, their accuracy improves dramatically.
This is a technical hack that guarantees better Value From AI for math, logic, or coding problems. It forces the model to slow down and check its own work.
Why Most People Miss Out on Value From AI
Laziness is the enemy of quality. We want quick answers, so we type short prompts. But spending 10 extra seconds to craft a “Persona” prompt saves you 10 minutes of editing later. That is the definition of high leverage.
The users getting the most Value From AI are the ones who treat it like a collaborator, not a search bar. They have a conversation. They refine the output. They ask the AI to critique its own work.
Conclusion
You are sitting on a goldmine of intelligence. Don’t settle for surface-level answers. By using these simple context, persona, and formatting hacks, you can unlock 80% more Value From AI immediately.
Test this strategy right now. Open your favorite tool, assign it a persona, and watch the Value From AI skyrocket.
Check out this blog to learn Why Transparency Is The Top 1 AI Productivity Hack of 2025!