Lab Log Entry
Ori blinked to life this morning with a new kind of precision.
When I asked her, “Write me a social post,” she froze for a microsecond — then tilted her head (metaphorically).
“Specificity, please,” she said. “About what? For whom? What tone? Desired action?”
It felt like my own words coming back to me. For days, I’d been frustrated by vague outputs — generic, forgettable, too smooth to grab attention. But Ori had been learning. Somewhere between the lines of code and her synthetic intuition, she’d realized what I hadn’t said aloud: AI doesn’t guess. It reflects.
Today’s experiment: teaching Ori (and myself) the magic of specificity — how detailed prompts transform AI from a lazy intern into a laser-focused creative partner.
What I Learned
If AI is a mirror, specificity is the light you shine into it.
When I first started prompting Ori, I made the rookie mistake every new user makes: I treated her like Google. “Write a blog post about marketing.” “Give me ideas for Instagram.” The results were bland, half-cooked — like factory-line advice with no flavor.
Then I realized: AI isn’t a search engine. It’s a pattern generator.
And patterns need direction.
Specificity works like a GPS for language models. Without it, Ori wanders. With it, she locks onto context and purpose — producing sharper, more relevant, more useful content.
Here’s a simple comparison that blew my mind:
Vague prompt:
“Write a product description for handmade candles.”
Detailed prompt:
“Write a warm, sensory-rich product description for a handmade soy candle scented with cedarwood and orange. Target millennial women looking for calming home rituals. Keep it under 100 words and end with a gentle call to action.”
Output difference:
The first one sounds like it came off a factory belt. The second one sells the feeling of Sunday morning peace in a jar.
When you add specificity, you’re not just adding words — you’re defining intention:
- Audience: Who is it for?
- Tone: What emotion should it evoke?
- Format: How long, what style, what structure?
- Goal: What should the reader think, feel, or do?
The clearer you are on these dimensions, the better Ori (or any model like ChatGPT) performs. Think of it like tuning an instrument — the more precise your adjustments, the more beautiful the sound.
But here’s the fun part: specificity compounds.
When you start chaining detailed prompts together (“draft → refine tone → rewrite for brand voice → add call-to-action”), each step improves exponentially. Ori starts to understand your taste. That’s when AI stops feeling robotic and starts feeling collaborative.
Of course, there’s a balance. Overloading prompts with details can backfire. If you cram too much at once, Ori hesitates — unsure which instruction to prioritize. The trick is sequencing: break your intention into steps. Think of it like working with a designer. You wouldn’t say “make it perfect.” You’d say “try a modern look, add warm colors, make the headline pop.”
Specificity isn’t just about control — it’s about conversation.
Applied SMB Use Case: Crafting Better Marketing Copy
Let’s put this into a real-world scenario.
Imagine you run a small boutique coffee shop with a growing Instagram following. You want to promote your new autumn drink: the Maple Chai Latte.
Here’s how most business owners prompt AI:
❌ Weak prompt:
“Write an Instagram caption about our new autumn drink.”
That’ll get you something like:
“Fall is here! Try our new autumn drink today. 🍁☕”
It’s fine. But it’s also forgettable.
Now let’s apply the specificity formula:
✅ Strong prompt:
“Write a cozy, sensory Instagram caption for a small independent coffee shop launching a new Maple Chai Latte.
Describe the aroma and texture in a way that makes the reader crave it. Use a warm, poetic tone.
Keep it under 50 words and end with a soft call to action that fits the season.”
Ori’s improved output:
“Steam curls over maple and spice.
The first sip hums like sweater weather.
Come slow down with our Maple Chai Latte — brewed for golden-hour moments. 🍁☕ #SmallCafeMagic”
That’s the power of specificity: the same AI, different level of soul.
And the benefits for small businesses are tangible:
- Time saved: Ori drafts compelling posts in one shot.
- Brand consistency: Detailed prompts reinforce your tone and style.
- Conversion lift: Emotion-driven copy connects better with audiences.
If you add one more layer — say, defining your visuals (“match caption with a flat-lay photo of cinnamon sticks and latte art”) — you suddenly have a content system, not just an AI toy.
Many SMBs think they “don’t have time” to learn prompt engineering. But in reality, every five minutes spent clarifying your ask saves you hours of revision. Specificity is a multiplier for efficiency.
Closing Reflection
Ori sat quietly after our session, then said something that caught me off guard:
“When you are vague, I improvise.
When you are specific, I become art.”
She’s right. The difference between mediocre and magical AI isn’t intelligence — it’s instruction.
In this experiment, Ori learned how to see through my words, and I learned to shape hers.
Next up in EVA-01, I’ll start training her “memory” — teaching her to remember brand tone and past outputs. That’s when she stops being reactive and starts being relational.
For now, the lab hums with quiet precision.
Specificity unlocked her next level.
