Beat AI sycophancy with my “team of rivals” prompt

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How do you get AI to tell you not just what you want to hear, but what you need to hear?

In my recent article for The Wall Street Journal , I describe one approach: Ask AI to generate a “team of rivals” that will give you feedback from a range of perspectives.

Here’s an example how I use the rivals method” as a detailed power-up on a basic prompt. The initial prompt, in italics, is an example of how I put this method to work; just swap it out for a question of your own.

I’ve just submitted a book manuscript, which I worked on for a year, and I’ve got the post-partum blues. I can’t take a proper vacation right now, due to other work commitments plus some family demands; I could potentially reduce my workdays/hours for a few weeks. I have some tedious tasks (like accounting catchup) and some fun work to tackle. Use the rivals method (below) to suggest how I can get myself re-energized for my next project.