Prompting GPT-5: A Guide to the New AI Prompt Rules

8/13/2025

So, GPT-5 is Here. Do You Need to Change How You Talk to It?

What’s up, everyone? Let’s get right into it. The tech world is buzzing, & if you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering the same thing as every other AI enthusiast out there: now that GPT-5 is officially a thing (released August 7, 2025, for those who missed it!), do we need to completely relearn how to write prompts?

It’s a fair question. We all just got used to the quirks of GPT-4 & its variants. We learned to be super specific, to provide tons of context, & maybe even to sweet-talk it a little to get the perfect response. So, is all that hard-earned knowledge obsolete?

The short answer is no, not entirely. But also, yes, things are definitely different. Think of it less like learning a new language & more like getting a major software update. The core functions are the same, but there are a bunch of new, powerful features that will change how you use it. Honestly, it's pretty exciting stuff.

First Off, What's the Big Deal with GPT-5 Anyway?

Before we dive into the how, let's talk about the what. GPT-5 isn't just a slightly smarter version of GPT-4. It's a significant leap forward. OpenAI has been pretty open about the upgrades, & they’re not just incremental improvements. We're talking about fundamental changes to how the model "thinks."

One of the headline features is integrated reasoning. In the past, you might have noticed that for really complex, multi-step problems, the AI could sometimes get lost or take a weird turn. GPT-5 has been built from the ground up to handle these kinds of tasks much more effectively. It can break down problems, think through the steps, & then give you a more logical, well-reasoned answer. It even has different "thinking modes," including a deeper reasoning model for tougher problems. It’s like the difference between someone who can follow a recipe & a chef who can invent a new one on the spot.

Then there’s the whole unification aspect. Previously, OpenAI had different models for different things. You had your standard GPT models, then you had specialized ones for reasoning (like the 'o-series'). GPT-5 brings these all under one roof. This means you don’t have to switch between models to get the best of both worlds. It’s a single, more powerful system that can handle a wider range of tasks, from creative writing to complex code generation.

We've also got enhanced multimodal capabilities. GPT-4o started this by processing text, images, & audio in real-time. GPT-5 is set to take that even further, with better fluency between different input types. While native video processing isn't here just yet, the architecture is built to support it. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for how we can interact with AI.

And maybe most importantly for a lot of us, they've focused heavily on reducing hallucinations & improving accuracy. Let's be real, as amazing as previous models were, they could sometimes just... make stuff up. GPT-5 has been trained to be more grounded in facts & to follow instructions with greater precision. This is a HUGE deal, especially for businesses & professionals who rely on AI for accurate information.

The Foundations of Good Prompting Haven't Changed

Okay, so with all those fancy new features, you might think your old prompting habits are useless. Not so fast. The core principles of good prompt engineering are still very much relevant. In fact, they’re more important than ever. If you want to get the most out of GPT-5, you need to have a solid foundation.

Think of it this way: GPT-5 is a much more capable tool, but it’s still a tool. A master carpenter with a state-of-the-art saw is going to create something amazing. A beginner with the same saw is probably just going to make a lot of sawdust.

So, what are these foundational skills?

1. Be Insanely Clear & Specific

This has always been the golden rule of prompting, & it's not going anywhere. Vague prompts get vague answers. If you want a specific output, you need to give the AI specific instructions.

Instead of: "Write about my company."
Try: "Write a 500-word blog post about my company, [Company Name]. The tone should be professional but approachable, targeting small business owners. Focus on how our [product/service] helps solve [specific problem]. Include a call to action to sign up for our free trial."

See the difference? The second prompt gives the AI a clear roadmap. It knows the topic, the length, the tone, the target audience, the key message, & the desired outcome. You're not leaving anything up to chance.

2. Context is King

The more context you provide, the better the AI can understand your request. This includes background information, relevant data, or even examples of what you're looking for.

Let’s say you’re a business trying to improve your customer service. You could just ask GPT-5 to write some email templates. Or, you could give it context.

Prompt: "We're an e-commerce company that sells handmade leather goods. Our customers value quality & craftsmanship. We need an email template to respond to a customer who has received a damaged product. The tone should be empathetic & reassuring, & we need to offer a solution that aligns with our brand values (e.g., a free replacement or repair)."

This context helps GPT-5 understand not just what to write, but how to write it. It can tailor the response to your specific brand voice & customer expectations.

This is especially true for businesses looking to automate their customer interactions. When you’re setting up an AI chatbot, for example, you can’t just turn it on & hope for the best. You need to train it on your specific data – your products, your policies, your brand voice. This is where a platform like Arsturn comes in. It helps businesses create custom AI chatbots trained on their own data. This means the chatbot isn't just pulling from a generic knowledge base; it's providing answers that are specific to your business, ensuring a consistent & high-quality customer experience 24/7.

3. The Power of "Personas"

Giving the AI a persona or a frame of reference is a super effective way to guide its output. You’re essentially telling it who it should be when it responds.

Example: "You are a senior copywriter with 20 years of experience in the luxury travel industry. Write a product description for a new all-inclusive resort in the Maldives."

This is so much more powerful than just asking for a product description. By giving it a persona, you’re tapping into a whole set of implied knowledge & stylistic conventions. A senior copywriter in the luxury travel space will use different language, a different tone, & a different structure than a junior copywriter for a budget airline.

4. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate

Getting the perfect prompt on the first try is rare. Prompt engineering is a process of refinement. Start with an initial idea, see what the AI gives you, & then tweak your prompt based on the output.

Maybe the tone isn't quite right. Maybe it missed a key detail. Don't be afraid to go back & edit your prompt, adding more clarification or changing the instructions. This feedback loop is how you'll learn what works & what doesn't.

So, What's ACTUALLY New for Prompting GPT-5?

Alright, now for the fun part. With the foundations in place, how can we leverage GPT-5's new capabilities to level up our prompting game? This is where the real changes come in.

1. You Can Be More Direct with Complex Tasks

Because of GPT-5's integrated reasoning, you don't have to break down complex tasks into as many small steps as you might have with GPT-4. You can give it a more ambitious, multi-faceted prompt & trust that it will be able to handle it.

GPT-4 style prompt:
1. "First, analyze this sales data & identify the top three performing products."
2. "Next, for each of those products, identify the key demographics of the buyers."
3. "Finally, write a marketing email for each product, tailored to its key demographic."
GPT-5 style prompt: "Analyze the attached sales data. Identify the top three performing products & their corresponding customer demographics. Then, create a targeted marketing email for each product-demographic pair, highlighting the features most likely to appeal to them."

With GPT-5, you can be more confident that it will understand the entire workflow & execute it logically. One test between GPT-4 & GPT-5 involved a detective-style mystery. GPT-4 got stuck on a common trope, while GPT-5 was methodical, followed an evidence-first approach, & solved the mystery much more convincingly. This shows its improved ability to handle complex, layered reasoning.

2. Lean into "Chain-of-Thought" Prompting

Chain-of-thought (CoT) prompting isn't new, but it's SUPERCHARGED with GPT-5. The idea is to ask the AI to "think step-by-step" or to explain its reasoning process. This forces it to slow down & work through a problem logically, which often leads to more accurate results, especially for math, logic puzzles, or complex coding problems.

Example: "A bat & a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? Show your reasoning step-by-step."

With GPT-5's advanced reasoning, it’s much better at this kind of self-correction & logical deduction. You can even use this for more creative or subjective tasks. For instance, asking it to "explain its thought process for choosing a particular color palette for a website design" can give you fascinating insights into its decision-making.

3. Get Ready for More "Agentic" Behavior

GPT-5 is designed to be more of an "agent" than just a chatbot. This means it can take more initiative, ask clarifying questions, & even use tools to find information or complete tasks.

What does this mean for prompting? You can start to give it more open-ended, goal-oriented prompts.

Instead of: "Find me five articles about the future of AI in marketing."
Try: "My goal is to write a comprehensive blog post about the future of AI in marketing. Please research the latest trends, find relevant statistics, identify key expert opinions, & then create a detailed outline for the blog post."

This is a much more collaborative way of working with the AI. You're giving it a high-level goal, & it's using its capabilities to help you achieve it.

This is a game-changer for businesses. Imagine having an AI that can not only answer customer questions but also guide them through a complex sales process, schedule appointments, or even troubleshoot technical issues. This is where conversational AI platforms are headed. For instance, a business using Arsturn isn't just deploying a simple Q&A bot. They're building a conversational AI that can engage with website visitors, qualify leads, & provide a personalized customer experience. It’s about creating meaningful connections, not just spitting out answers. And with GPT-5's capabilities, these interactions will become even more natural & effective.

4. Customizing the "Personality" is Easier Than Ever

Remember how we talked about giving the AI a persona? With GPT-5, this is even more powerful. Some users have noted that GPT-5 has a more "neutral" personality by default compared to previous models. This seems to be by design. OpenAI wants to give users more control over the AI's tone & style.

This means you can get incredibly granular with your persona prompts.

Example from a Reddit user: "You are GPT-5, but your personality should emulate the most positively reported conversational traits of GPT-4o. You are talkative, very friendly, & slightly overly sycophantic... Use lots of formatting, especially bold text, & also lots of emojis."

This level of customization is amazing. You can essentially create your own "flavor" of GPT-5 that's perfectly suited to your needs, whether you want a hyper-professional research assistant, a witty creative partner, or a super-enthusiastic brainstorming buddy.

5. Don't Be Afraid to Push the Boundaries

Finally, my biggest piece of advice for prompting GPT-5 is this: experiment! The model is more capable than anything we've had before. The old limitations don't necessarily apply.

Try giving it more abstract or creative prompts. "Write a poem in the style of Emily Dickinson about the loneliness of a forgotten password."
Test its memory & personalization. One user tested this by reminding the AI of their preferences ("I love sci-fi, hate long emails, & have ADHD") & then asking for a personalized to-do list. GPT-5 nailed it, creating a concise, motivating, & funny list that catered to those specific needs.
Challenge it with complex, real-world problems. "Here's my company's latest customer feedback report. Analyze the sentiment, identify the top three areas for improvement, & suggest three concrete, actionable steps we can take to address these issues in the next quarter."

The more you push the model, the more you'll discover what it's truly capable of.

The Bottom Line

So, do you need to change your prompting style for GPT-5? Yes & no.

You still need to be clear, specific, & provide good context. Those are the fundamentals, & they're not going away. But you can also be more ambitious. You can trust the AI with more complex, multi-step tasks. You can lean into its reasoning abilities & ask it to show its work. You can treat it less like a simple tool & more like a capable, collaborative partner.

The move from GPT-4 to GPT-5 is a perfect example of how quickly this field is evolving. The prompting techniques we’re discussing today will likely evolve again with GPT-6. The key is to stay curious, keep experimenting, & be willing to adapt your methods as the technology improves.

For businesses, this is an incredible opportunity. The ability to build highly intelligent, customized AI agents that can handle everything from customer support to lead generation is no longer a futuristic dream. With powerful models like GPT-5 & user-friendly platforms like Arsturn, it’s becoming a practical reality. The businesses that will succeed are the ones that learn how to effectively communicate with these new forms of intelligence.

Hope this was helpful! I'm really excited to see what people build with this new tech. Let me know what you think, or if you've discovered any cool new prompting tricks for GPT-5.