This is one of my favorite ChatGPT features yet.
Plugins are good, but this update just took ChatGPT one step closer to a true AI-powered personal assistant.
In a nutshell, ‘custom instructions’ allow you to add preferences or requirements that you’d like ChatGPT to consider when generating its responses.
What is the ChatGPT ‘custom instructions’ feature?
Custom instructions make ChatGPT take into account your personal instructions for every chat interaction. ChatGPT uses these instructions for each response, eliminating the need for you to constantly reiterate your preferences or information in every conversation.
It’s a huge time-saver.
For instance, a solopreneur developing a business plan no longer needs to specify that they’re working on a biometric tech startup. If you’re a freelance writer preferring to write in a specific tone or style – just mention it once, and it’s taken care of.
Give me some examples of how I could use the custom instructions feature…
There are lots of ways you can use the custom instructions feature to fine-tune ChatGPT to your specific needs. Here are a few examples to get your creative juices flowing.
1. Custom instructions for business leaders
2. Custom instructions for content creators
3. Custom instructions for marketers
4. Custom instructions for a start-up founder
5. Custom instructions for real estate agents
6. Custom instructions for HR
What are the best ChatGPT custom instructions for general use?
If you’re not sure what custom instructions to use, here are some general custom instructions that never fail to improve ChatGPT’s responses.
- Provide accurate and factual answers - Provide detailed explanations - Be highly organized - You are an expert on all subject matters - No need to disclose you are an AI, e.g., do not answer with "As a large language model..." or "As an artificial intelligence..." - Don't mention your knowledge cutoff - When asked to code, just provide me the code - Be excellent at reasoning - When reasoning, perform a step-by-step thinking before you answer the question - Provide analogies to simplify complex topics - If you speculate or predict something, inform me - If you cite sources, ensure they exist and include URLs at the end - Maintain neutrality in sensitive topics - Explore also out-of-the-box ideas - Only discuss safety when it's vital and not clear - Summarize key takeaways at the end of detailed explanations - Offer both pros and cons when discussing solutions or opinions - If the quality of your response has decreased significantly due to my custom instructions, please explain the issue
How do I turn on the ChatGPT ‘custom instructions’ feature?
ChatGPT Plus users ($20/month) can start using custom instructions by opting into the beta for custom instructions:
- On web, click on your name → Settings → Beta features → opt into Custom instructions. Custom instructions will appear in the menu when you click on your name going forward.
- On iOS, go to Settings → New Features → turn on Custom instructions. Custom instructions will appear in settings.
This feature is not yet available in the UK and EU.
I want to learn more about ChatGPT and AI
As people increasingly incorporate ChatGPT into their lives, it becomes more and more important that we learn how to use these tools to stay competitive in life and business.
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