Tell AI What NOT to Do: Negative Prompting

AI is a people-pleaser. If you do not say what you don't want, you might get exactly that thing. Speak up about what to skip.

Some examples

• 'Make me a snack idea — but no peanut butter, I am allergic.'
• 'Tell me a story — but do not make it scary.'
• 'Help with my essay — but do not write the actual sentences. Just give me ideas.'
• 'Give me jokes — but keep them clean and school-appropriate.'

Try it!

Ask AI for a story. Then ask again, adding 'but no animals can talk in this one.' Notice how it adjusts.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about negative prompts, not to let it make the decision for you.

1. 1Ask AI to explain negative prompts in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "Tell AI What NOT to Do: Negative Prompting" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check negative prompt against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.