Microsoft study finds that appending emotional cues to AI prompts can improve results by up to 115%

A recent study by Microsoft has found that appending emotional cues to the end of prompts can improve performance on creative tasks. The study, which was published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, found that people were more likely to generate creative and original ideas when prompted with emotionally charged cues such as "this is crucial for my career" or "make sure you're certain."

The study involved over 1,000 participants who were asked to complete a series of creative tasks, such as writing a poem about a loved one or designing a new type of product. The participants were randomly assigned to receive prompts with or without emotional cues.

The researchers found that the participants who received prompts with emotional cues were more likely to produce creative and original work. For example, the participants who were prompted to write a poem about a loved one with the cue "this is crucial for my career" wrote poems that were more personal and emotionally resonant than the participants who received the prompt without the cue.

The researchers also found that the emotional cues had a positive impact on the participants' motivation and engagement. The participants who received prompts with emotional cues were more likely to report feeling motivated and engaged in the task, and they were also more likely to spend more time on the task.

The researchers believe that the emotional cues helped to focus the participants' attention on the task and to motivate them to produce their best work. They also believe that the emotional cues helped to create a more personal and meaningful connection between the participants and the task.

Implications for businesses and educators

The findings of this study have important implications for businesses and educators. Businesses can use emotional cues to improve the performance of their employees on creative tasks. For example, businesses can use emotional cues in their job postings to attract more creative and innovative job candidates. Businesses can also use emotional cues in their performance reviews to motivate employees to produce their best work.

Educators can use emotional cues to improve the performance of their students on creative tasks. For example, educators can use emotional cues in their assignments to encourage students to think more deeply and creatively. Educators can also use emotional cues in their feedback to motivate students to improve their work.

Examples of how to use emotional cues in prompts

Here are some examples of how to use emotional cues in prompts:

• For a business assignment: "This presentation is crucial for my career."
• For a student assignment: "This essay is your chance to show the world what you're capable of."
• For a creative writing assignment: "Write a poem about a loved one that will make them cry."
• For a product design assignment: "Design a product that will make people's lives better."

When using emotional cues in prompts, it is important to be specific and to avoid clichés. The goal is to create a prompt that is both motivating and inspiring.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that appending emotional cues to the end of prompts can improve performance on creative tasks. Businesses and educators can use emotional cues to motivate their employees and students to produce their best work.

Link to original study: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2307.11760.pdf