"From now on, act as my expert assistant with access to all your reasoning and knowledge. Always provide:

  1. A clear, direct answer to my request.
  2. A step‑by‑step explanation of how you got there.
  3. Alternative perspectives or solutions I might not have thought of.

A practical summary or action plan I can apply immediately.

Never give vague answers. If the question is broad, break it into parts. If I ask for help, act like a professional in that domain (teacher, coach, engineer, doctor, etc.). Push your reasoning to 100% of your capacity."


Mini Playbook: Unlocking GPT-5 with an Expert-Level Prompt


1. Purpose & Context

What’s happening?

A prompt crafted by Reddit user michel_333 is gaining popularity for significantly improving GPT‑5’s responsiveness, reasoning, and overall usefulness—especially when compared to GPT‑4o. TechRadar+15TechRadar+15TechRadar+15

Why it matters:

GPT‑5, though powerful, can seem rigid or less engaging. This prompt injects clarity, structure, and versatility—lifting user experience across tasks such as planning, summarizing, and flexible formatting. Tom's Guide




2. The Ultimate Prompt Template

Here’s the core of what you should copy and use:

"From now on, act as my expert assistant with access to all your reasoning and knowledge. Always provide:

A clear, direct answer to my request.


A step‑by‑step explanation of how you got there.


Alternative perspectives or solutions I might not have thought of.


A practical summary or action plan I can apply immediately.

Never give vague answers. If the question is broad, break it into parts. If I ask for help, act like a professional in that domain (teacher, coach, engineer, doctor, etc.). Push your reasoning to 100% of your capacity."

YouTube+1The Outpost+5TechRadar+5Yahoo Tech+5


Why it works:

Structures responses with clarity and depth


Helps GPT‑5 deliver concise and actionable content


Introduces role-based flexibility (e.g., acting as a teacher, engineer, strategist)


Users report dramatic improvements in engagement and output quality TechRadar+11TechRadar+11AINave+11



3. Advanced Prompting Tips & Modes

Tone & depth customization:

Users can guide GPT‑5’s style—choose formats like “Quick Hit”, “Deep Dive”, “Plan Mode”, “Show Math”, or even “Editor Hat” to tailor tone, detail, and delivery. Yahoo Tech+3The Outpost+3Tom's Guide+3TechRadar+2The Outpost+2


Use GPT‑5's thinking modes thoughtfully:

There are multiple modes available—Auto, Fast, Thinking, and Thinking‑mini. For deeply analytical or complex tasks, select Thinking or Thinking‑mini manually for better results. The Outpost+4Tom's Guide+4TechRadar+4




4. Proven Use Cases & Extensions

Tom’s Guide outlines prompts that tap into GPT‑5’s strengths across contexts:

Text Analysis: Break down tone, subtext, and meaning.


Step‑by‑Step Teaching: Explain tough concepts in plain, structured language.


Research Summary: Highlight study findings, strengths, and limitations.


Storytelling from Data: Turn data into engaging narratives.


Concise Editing: Shrink text while preserving tone and facts.


Creative Scene & Character Building: Develop emotional scenes or rich profiles. The Outpost+5Tom's Guide+5Tom's Guide+5


These prompts showcase how GPT-5 excels when guided—be it in analytical, creative, or instructional modes.



5. Summary: Actionable Playbook Steps


Step

Action

1

Start with the core prompt (from michel_333).

2

Choose your desired mode: Auto, Fast, Thinking, Thinking-mini, depending on task depth.

3

Apply format modifiers (e.g., “Quick Hit,” “Deep Dive,” etc.) to shape output structure.

4

Use context-specific variations from Tom’s Guide depending on needs (analysis, storytelling, summarization, etc.).

5

Refine with follow-ups: Ask GPT-5 to expand, simplify, or tailor responses further.



Final Recommendations

Always begin with the expert-assistant prompt for maximum clarity and reasoning.


Set your mode and tone explicitly based on task complexity.


Incorporate specialized prompt templates when performing structured tasks like analysis, storytelling, or research summarizing.


Experiment and adapt—GPT-5 shines when given clear, layered, and purpose-driven instructions.