Why averaged AI answers can hide what you see when asking AI for multiple perspectives

This post shows you how to ask an AI tool for different viewpoints. You will learn how to get separate answers, not a blended one. This helps you see all the different ideas when asking AI for multiple perspectives.

A single, averaged answer might seem helpful at first. However, a blended response can hide important differences between viewpoints. It can smooth over disagreements or unique insights that are crucial for a full understanding. For example, if you ask an AI to summarise opinions on a new policy, an averaged answer might present a middle ground that doesn't fully show the strong support or strong opposition that exists. To get the most out of AI, it is often better to keep these perspectives separate.

Why a blended answer can hide different viewpoints

AI tools often try to give you a single, clear answer. This is usually helpful for simple questions. But for complex topics, different viewpoints are important. If an AI combines all these views into one answer, it can lose the details. You might miss why people disagree, or the specific reasons for different opinions. For example, if you ask about the best way to manage a project, an averaged answer might suggest a common method. But it might not show you the specific benefits of one approach compared to another, or the situations where each is best. Keeping the perspectives separate lets you compare them directly.

Prepare your questions carefully

Before you ask your AI tool, think about what kinds of perspectives you want. Do you need a positive view and a negative view? Or different expert opinions? Write down specific questions for each perspective. For instance, instead of asking for both the good and bad points of remote work in one question, you could ask for the arguments in favour of remote work. Then, in a separate question, ask for the arguments against remote work. This helps the AI focus on one viewpoint at a time. Being clear in your preparation makes it easier to get distinct answers.

Ask for one perspective at a time

The most effective way to get separate perspectives is to ask for them one by one. Treat each viewpoint as a new question. For example, if you are researching a historical event, you might first ask for a summary from one country's viewpoint. Then, in a new prompt, ask for a summary from another country's viewpoint. This stops the AI from trying to combine them into a single narrative. It helps you keep the information distinct and easier to compare. You can also ask the AI to adopt a specific role or persona for each answer, like asking it to respond as a 'financial analyst' for one answer and a 'social commentator' for another.

Use custom instructions for consistent results

Many AI tools let you set custom instructions. These are rules the AI follows for all your interactions. You can use them to tell the AI to always provide separate viewpoints when you ask for them, or to avoid blending answers. For example, you could include a rule to always present each viewpoint in a separate paragraph or bullet point list, clearly labelled. This helps ensure the AI gives you the format you need every time. You can learn more about setting these up in our post on set your AIs rules once: custom instructions to make AI accessible.

Check and compare the results

Once you have received the different answers, take time to check them. Look for the specific points of agreement and disagreement. Are there any gaps in one perspective that another fills? Do the answers clearly show the unique aspects of each viewpoint? If an answer still seems blended, you might need to refine your question or ask the AI to rephrase its response, emphasising the differences. For example, you could ask the AI to highlight the key differences between two perspectives. This step is important for making sure you have truly separate insights.

Common problems and how to fix them

Sometimes, even with careful prompting, an AI might still give you a somewhat blended answer. This can happen if your question is too broad, or if the AI's training data has a strong bias towards a particular view. To fix this, try making your prompts even more specific. You can also ask the AI to explicitly state any assumptions it is making. If you are still not getting distinct perspectives, try asking the AI to list the arguments for each side in a table. This structured format can force the AI to separate the information more clearly. You can also ask the AI to identify patterns across documents, which can help you see where viewpoints align or diverge, as discussed in our post on using AI to find patterns in documents.

Keep control of the information

Remember that the AI is a tool to help you gather information. You are still in control of how you use it. By getting separate perspectives, you can make your own informed decisions. You are not relying on the AI's interpretation of a blended answer. This approach helps you to think critically about complex issues and to understand the full range of opinions. It is about using the AI to expand your understanding, not to replace your own judgment. Being persistent and specific helps you get better results.

Next steps for your task

Practise asking for different perspectives on topics you are interested in. Start with simple comparisons and then move to more complex ones. The more you practise, the better you will become at getting the distinct answers you need.

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