A useful AI brief makes the task smaller and the source material clearer. Start with one audience and one decision you want the reader to make. Then give the model enough facts to draft without inventing your business.
1. Define the reader and the job
“Write an Instagram post” leaves too many choices open. A better brief names the reader, situation and next action. For example: a small café owner comparing takeaway packaging; explain three checks before ordering; invite the reader to request a sample. This is an illustrative example, not a customer case.
2. Provide a source of truth
List the facts the draft may use: product details, current offer, delivery conditions and approved examples. Separate confirmed facts from questions. Add a rule to mark missing information rather than fill it in. Do not include private customer records just to make a writing exercise feel realistic.
3. Show the voice and the boundaries
Two short examples of approved writing are more useful than ten adjectives. Explain what you like about them. Specify terms to use, phrases to avoid and claims that need evidence. Ask for a small number of meaningfully different drafts so you can compare decisions.
4. Review before expanding
Check the first draft for factual accuracy, useful detail and a natural next action. Edit one version before generating ten more. Save the successful brief together with your corrections so the next batch starts from what you learned.
Keep this checklist
- Who is this for, in what situation?
- What facts can the draft use?
- What should happen after reading?
- What would make the draft unacceptable?
This is an original practical guide. Examples are illustrative; tool interfaces and available features may change.