Every human today carries a library larger than Alexandria in their pocket. Humanity has never held so much power at once. For the first time in history, we have easy access to endless information. You can see both sides of a topic and build opinions on facts. This goes far beyond Google Search or library books, which usually give only one view at a time.

But with so much knowledge available, are we using it wisely—or just turning it into another tool for consumerism? Using AI is easy, but using it effectively in a way that positively impacts your life is not. It requires awareness, clarity, and practice—because common sense is not always common.

In today’s AI world, information is delivered straight into your pocket. Everyone has become their own consultant. You don’t need a classroom. You don’t need a consultant. You don’t need permission. Knowledge is already in your hands. The barrier to starting in a new field has become very low.

You don’t need a physics textbook to get a simple explanation of Einstein’s theory of relativity.
You don’t need a career counselor to explore different job options.
You don’t need only dusty historical texts to learn about past events.
You don’t need a classroom teacher physically present to start learning a new skill—whether it’s cooking, coding, or playing chess.

To be clear, I am not saying we should replace books, research papers, and other resources with AI prompts. Not at all. Books and other resources are still needed to build a basic understanding. That foundation helps a lot when writing good AI prompts.

AI Prompts as a Skill

Yes—AI prompts. A skill that separates good from great. A skill that decides whether the information you get is biased or balanced. If your prompts are poor, you risk misinformation, bias, and shallow thinking. If your prompts are sharp, you gain clarity, truth, and better decisions. AI can be biased depending on the data it was trained on. We must avoid falling into the same traps as old media. The good thing is, AI can understand context if you provide it. Context changes how the information is given to you. Creating context takes practice, knowledge, and self-awareness. The clearer you are about what you want, the better the answer you get. Being precise is the key.

The people who ask clear questions—unbiased, curious, and truth-seeking—are the ones who create strong prompts. Good prompts unlock facts. Facts become information. With wisdom, information turns into knowledge. AI itself is only a tool for fact collection, and it works best for those who know how to ask. But it takes real awareness to turn those facts into knowledge. AI is not the answer—it is the question.

Examples and Framework

Here’s a weak prompt: “Tell me about Columbus who discovered America.” AI may just summarize popular books, leaving out that his voyages led to genocide. You might think Columbus was only a brave hero.

Now here’s a better prompt: “Tell me about Columbus who discovered America. Be objective in your character analysis. Do not omit important facts.” The answer improves, and you may see Columbus as responsible for harming native tribes.

You can make it even sharper: “Tell me about Columbus who discovered America. Be objective in your character analysis. Do not omit important facts. Also, was European contact with the Americas inevitable in the 15th century, or did Columbus uniquely change history?” This is still simple, but it adds context. It makes AI frame the answer in the realities of that time.

Another example: “Explain Einstein’s theory of relativity to a 10-year-old with simple analogies.” Compared to “Explain Einstein’s theory of relativity,” this sharper prompt guides AI to adapt complexity, context, and tone. The difference is dramatic—the first is vague, the second is clear and useful.

And if you are completely new to a subject, you can push AI to make it even simpler. For instance: “Explain quantum entanglement as if I am 12 years old, using everyday objects as examples.” A vague question like “Explain quantum entanglement” will likely give a dense, academic reply, but the refined prompt ensures clarity and accessibility.

You can also go the other way: ask a deep, layered question that challenges AI to simplify a complex debate. For example: “Summarize the major ethical arguments for and against gene editing in humans, and then explain them in simple everyday terms.” The question is complex, but the goal is to arrive at a simple, digestible answer. This shows how strong prompts turn heavy topics into usable knowledge.

AI Prompt Framework (4 steps):

1. Topic – Clearly state what you want to know. (e.g., Columbus, relativity, gardening)
2. Objective – Say how you want the answer (objective, step-by-step, pros/cons).
3. Context – Add background or conditions (time period, audience, constraints).
4. Depth – Specify the level of detail (summary, data-driven, examples).

This can be turned into a simple formula: “Tell me about [Topic], give me [Objective], within [Context], at [Depth].”

Conclusion: Seeking Truth with AI

When we study history, we often forget people lived differently in their own era. We judge them by today’s standards, forgetting that we too are making mistakes we may only see clearly 200 years later. In the same way, they did not know—they were following their time. As I wrote a blog on Misconceptions of earlier centuries.

Truth is always there—it’s hidden under layers of noise, opinion, and bias. The role of a good prompt is to cut through that noise. A clear, context-driven prompt does not create truth, it reveals it. AI is most helpful when you provide that clarity and know the exact information you want. Stay objective, avoid one‑sided views, and keep seeking. It is more critical than ever to stay self‑aware—make AI your tool, not your master. In the age of AI, your words are your compass. Write them with precision, or be lost in the noise.