AI Is a Mirror: Better Prompts, Better Results

Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg Smith

🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/731

Most people treat AI like a search box, then complain when the answers feel thin. In this episode, Meg and Mark reframe AI as a conversation you practise on purpose. From a “five prompts a day” habit to stronger Custom Instructions, they show how intention, examples, and pushback turn generic outputs into useful work. You’ll also hear a practical te reo Māori learning story, why the word “should” is a red flag in voice interactions, and a calm way to choose tools without FOMO.

Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz

What you’ll learn
- How to build prompting skill through small, daily reps, not one-off hacks.
- How to use conversation structure (goal, audience, examples, iteration) for higher-quality outputs.
- How to set effective Custom Instructions and ask the tool to interview you first.
- How to spot weak guidance in voice mode and push back for evidence.
- How to compare models sensibly and choose depth over distraction.

Highlights
“Five prompts a day is what you should be doing.”
“They don’t come to AI with a ‘let’s have a conversation.’”
“Instead of approaching it like a one-shot conversation or a search, I thought about approaching it as a conversation with a friend.”
“AI is a mirror of who you are.”
“If you’re a lazy prompter, you’ll get lazy answers.”
“Ask me all the questions that you think you need to ask before I’m ready to create that output.”
“The word ‘should’ is what’s important here.”
“It’s very easy to say a tool sucks when you don’t use it.”
“Different tools do different things.”
“It’s still on me to make a decision with the information that I have.”
“I’m going to do one a day.”
“How lucky are we to be able to take that approach?”

Mentioned
ChatGPT Custom Instructions / “Customize GPT”
Microsoft Copilot (Custom Instructions)
Claude (Anthropic)
Gemini (Google; on-device models referenced as “Nano Banana” in the episode)
Grok (xAI)
Toastmasters
ISO standards; ANZ standards (Australia/New Zealand)
“AI: The Mirror and the Tower,” Dr Oliver Hartwich (Aug 2025) https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/opinion/ai-the-mirror-and-the-tower/
kahu.code (te reo Māori learning tools) https://chatgpt.com/g/g-wXVoS6B3c-whakawhiti-reo-kahu-code?model=gpt-4o
Show WhatsApp community (listener Q&A) https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz
Video versions available on Spotify and YouTube

Connect with the hosts
Mark Smith:  
Blog: https://www.nz365guy.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guy
Meg Smith:  
Blog: https://www.megsmith.nz 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megsmithnz 
 
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Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith