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September 7, 2025

5 AI Prompt Techniques to 10x Productivity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept - it's a powerful tool redefining workflows across industries. Yet, like any tool, the value it delivers depends on how effectively you wield it. In a recent video, innovation expert and Stanford educator Jeremley shared groundbreaking insights on how to maximize AI's potential using advanced prompt techniques. These methods aren't just about "getting AI to work"; they're about transforming how you think, collaborate, and execute in business.

This article synthesizes Jeremley’s expertise into actionable strategies tailored for visionary business founders, team leaders, and ambitious professionals in the B2B space who want to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re looking to 10x your productivity, scale operations, or sharpen your team’s AI literacy, these techniques will empower you to turn AI into a trusted partner rather than just a tool.

Introduction: AI Isn't Just a Tool - It's a Coach

Imagine AI as the ultimate intern: tireless, eager to help, and willing to take on any task. But, as Jeremley warns, it’s also like a "bad software" paired with "good people." AI won’t push back or question your instructions unless explicitly told to do so. That’s why the best users of AI aren’t just technical wizards - they’re coaches, capable of guiding the machine's inherent capabilities with precision and creativity.

At the heart of Jeremley’s approach is context engineering, an evolution of prompt engineering. By framing AI interactions with clear, intentional context, you can unlock its full potential. Below, we’ll explore five transformative techniques to make AI your ultimate productivity partner.

1. Context Engineering: The Foundation for Great AI Outputs

The first principle of effective AI collaboration is understanding that AI doesn’t read minds - it interprets instructions literally. This is where context engineering comes into play. It’s the art of explicitly providing all the necessary details for AI to perform a task as intended.

Example: Writing a Sales Email

  • A basic prompt: "Write me a sales email."
  • A context-rich prompt: "Write me a sales email in line with the voice and brand guidelines I’ve uploaded, referencing the transcript of the customer call and including our product specifications."

By layering in details like brand tone, customer needs, and product specifics, the AI generates outputs that align with your vision. Always ask yourself: If I handed this prompt to a human, would they be able to complete the task? If not, it’s time to revise.

Actionable Insight:

Explicitly define the context for every AI task. Include:

  • Documents (brand guidelines, product specs, etc.)
  • Past examples of successful outputs
  • Specific instructions on tone, structure, or content

2. Chain of Thought Reasoning: Asking AI to Think Out Loud

Did you know that AI doesn’t premeditate its responses? Large language models generate text one word at a time, predicting the next word based on the context provided. This means their reasoning is implicit unless you prompt them to "think out loud."

How It Works:

Add this sentence to your prompt:
"Before you respond to my query, please walk me through your thought process step by step."

For example:

  • Instead of: "Help me write a marketing strategy."
  • Say: "Help me write a marketing strategy. Before responding, walk me through your thought process for identifying key objectives, audience segments, and execution methods."

This simple addition encourages the model to articulate its reasoning, making the final output more insightful and thoughtful.

Why It Matters:

  • Transparency: You understand the assumptions behind AI’s output.
  • Improved Results: AI incorporates its reasoning into the final response, leading to higher-quality outputs.

3. Few-Shot Prompting: Teaching AI by Example

AI is an imitation engine - it learns by example. When you ask it to complete a task without guidance, it defaults to generic or "average" outputs. Few-shot prompting solves this by providing examples of what "good" looks like.

Technique:

  • Provide positive examples that showcase the tone, format, or style you want.
  • Bonus: Include a negative example (what to avoid) and explain why it’s suboptimal.

Example prompt: "Create a project summary based on the following examples. Use this positive example for guidance, and avoid the issues highlighted in the negative example."

If you struggle to create a negative example, let the AI help:
"Generate the opposite of this good example and explain your thought process for crafting it."

Benefits:

  • Consistency across outputs
  • Clear understanding of quality expectations
  • Refinement through iterative feedback

4. Reverse Prompting: Let AI Ask the Right Questions

AI often "fills in the blanks" when it doesn’t have enough information, which can result in inaccurate or irrelevant outputs. Reverse prompting shifts this dynamic, empowering the AI to ask you for missing details.

How to Use:

End your prompt with:
"Before you begin, ask me any questions necessary to perform this task accurately."

For instance:

  • Initial prompt: "Write a performance review for my team."
  • Reverse prompt: "Write a performance review for my team. Ask me for any information you need before starting."

Instead of guessing, the AI might ask:

  • "What key performance metrics should I include?"
  • "What tone should I take - formal or conversational?"

This approach ensures the output is personalized and precise.

5. Role Assignment: Unlocking AI’s Specialized Knowledge

AI’s "neural network" is a vast repository of knowledge. By assigning it a specific role, you can direct its focus to the most relevant areas.

Example Roles:

Jeremley notes that roleplaying extends beyond analysis - it can enhance brainstorming and problem-solving by colliding diverse perspectives. For instance:

  • "How would Elon Musk approach this product launch?"
  • "What would Amazon’s strategy be for this challenge?"

By leveraging AI’s ability to simulate expertise, you gain access to insights that may not have occurred to you otherwise.

Building Mastery: The Flight Simulator for Tough Conversations

One particularly innovative application discussed in the video is using AI as a flight simulator for difficult conversations. Jeremley demonstrates how AI can serve as a personality profiler, a roleplaying partner, and a feedback coach for practicing high-stakes discussions, such as performance reviews or salary negotiations.

Process:

  1. Profile Your Counterpart: Describe the person’s communication style and the context of the conversation.
  2. Roleplay the Conversation: Interact with AI as if it were the individual in question, adjusting the tone or difficulty as needed.
  3. Evaluate Your Performance: Ask AI to grade your responses, highlight strengths, and suggest improvements.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Practice builds confidence in real-life scenarios.
  • AI provides objective, structured feedback often unavailable from peers or mentors.
  • You can refine your approach iteratively before stepping into the actual conversation.

Conclusion: Coaching AI to Coach You

AI is more than just a tool - it’s a collaborator, a coach, and a mirror. By mastering techniques like context engineering, few-shot prompting, and chain of thought reasoning, you can transform AI from a simple assistant into a strategic partner that elevates your productivity and sharpens your critical thinking.

As Jeremley aptly puts it, "The best users of AI aren’t coders - they’re coaches." The limits of AI aren’t technological - they’re defined by human imagination. By thoughtfully guiding AI with clear instructions and creative approaches, you can unlock an adjacent world of possibilities for innovation and growth.

Key Takeaways

  • Context Engineering: Provide explicit details to guide AI; don’t expect it to "read your mind."
  • Chain of Thought Reasoning: Encourage AI to outline its thought process for transparent and insightful outputs.
  • Few-Shot Prompting: Teach AI by providing both positive and negative examples of what you want.
  • Reverse Prompting: Let AI ask clarifying questions to ensure accurate and tailored responses.
  • Role Assignment: Assign AI a specific role or perspective to unlock specialized knowledge.
  • Use AI as a Practice Tool: Simulate tough conversations and receive feedback to refine your approach.
  • AI Mirrors You: It enhances your strengths - or exposes your weaknesses - depending on how you use it.

By implementing these techniques, you can harness AI’s full potential, not just to save time but to amplify creativity, productivity, and strategic thinking.

Source: "Stanford's Practical Guide to 10x Your AI Productivity | Jeremy Utley" - EO, YouTube, Aug 27, 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMOmmnjy3sE

Use: Embedded for reference. Brief quotes used for commentary/review.

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