Stop saying ChatGPT to “summarize this”Text |
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Hello writers
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Today, I will show you how to Actually summarize text with AI; Why you shouldn't type “summarize this text” with AI: 
What I will cover today;
• How to stop getting surface-level, generic summaries
( I will teach you how to force AI to give you sharp, useful outputs.)
• How to make the model classify, extract, quote, cite, analyze, and reframe your text on command. 
(The right way to summarize text without hallucinations)
• How to strip out the noise without losing the gold:
Keep the nuance, intent, contradictions, and hidden layers intact, instead of flattening them.
• How to get the exact kind of summary you want: (every time)
→ I will teach you how to turn any document into:
Role-based summaries, action plans, core principles, frameworks, strategic insights, and expert-level consultants.
The Problem:
Why you shouldn’t prompt ChatGPT the generic “Summarize this Text”
It gives the model no goal or direction.
AI doesn’t know what you want [eg, major insights, contradictions, risks, shifts, or a framework.]
It strips nuance and context out of the text.
(AI won’t catch the writer’s motives, tone shifts, contradictions, or why things happen)
It collapses complex ideas into a flat recap.
(You lose depth, structure, and the multi-layer meaning behind the text)
It forces the model into safe, generic mode.
(AI defaults to bland summaries and removes any message that was sharp or specific)
It is more likely to hallucinate the output summary
(because of the lack of instructions poor text scanning of the material)
The lesson:
Stop asking AI for generic summaries.
Start asking for real directions to parse on.
What you want is the model to classify, extract, quote, cite, analyze, and reframe the content.
Not compress it and strip its core meaning:
My Secret Hacks: The Precision Summary Pack:
Use targeted mini-prompts that force the model to see the text through a specific lens. This gives you insights you can actually act on.
❶/ Summarize by Role:
Why it works like a charm:?
( I realized that if AI summarizes the content by a given role it will force itself to filter for relevance. When I use this mini-prompt, it removes 80% of the noise and keeps only what my its needed.)
Mega-Prompt;
Summarize this content for someone working as a [# TYPE THE ROLE].
Focus only on what that person would find useful:
• The problems this role typically faces
• The decisions they’re responsible for
• The constraints, risks, and edge cases they track
• The opportunities or high-leverage points stated in the text
Citation Rules:
1) Every claim must cite the original text verbatim using short inline quotes.
2) If the relevant text is long, quote only the key phrase (page, paragraph, or line number).
3) If a detail is not explicitly in the text, respond with: “Source not found.”
4) No invented details. No assumptions. No filler.
Deliverables:
1) A tight, role-specific summary (with verbatim inline quotes)
2) 3–5 high-leverage insights (each insight must include a verbatim quote)
3) Action steps grounded in the text (each step must include a verbatim quote)The more specific you make the role, the easier it is for the AI to strip out anything that doesn’t fit that role.
❷ Turn Text Into an Action Plan;
Why it works like a charm: ?
(This turns passive information into steps. Every time you use this, you walk away with a clear path to implement instead of vague ideas.)
Extract the core lessons from this material and convert them into a concrete, step-by-step action plan I can execute now.
Requirements:
• Translate each major insight into an actionable step (no abstractions).
• Show the sequence: what must happen first, what depends on what.
• Clarify the objective of each step — what success looks like.
• Add the tools, resources, or decisions required to complete each step.
• Flag potential risks, bottlenecks, or failure points.
• Adapt the plan to both business and personal workflow contexts (state differences if needed).
Deliver the final output as:
1) A numbered action plan (from start to finish)
2) A short rationale explaining why this sequence works
3) A quick-start version (3–5 steps) for fast executionHow to be more specific on the Action plan;
1/ Add a role; remember what I said “The more specific you make the role, the easier it is for the AI to strip out anything that doesn’t fit that role;”
2/ Recall the specific part; If its a large text explicitly instruct AI where to work on the text;
❸ Identify Core Principles
Why it works: ?
(I used this prompt to transfer Principles smarter to any project Im working on. This prompt help you spot the best lessons that generic summaries always hide.)
MEGA-PROMPT;
Read this document and identify the core principles, mental models, and decision rules that repeat across the text.
For each one:
• Define it in plain language.
• Show where it appears in the document (patterns, behaviors, arguments).
• Explain how it connects to the other principles.
• Explain why it matters — what it lets someone do, avoid, or see.
End with a distilled list of the 3–5 principles that drive everything in the document.Advanced variations for this prompt: (use them if you want better specific summaries)
A. If you want zero fluff:
Strip out any phrasing that isn’t a principle. No summaries. No commentary. Only mental models and their functional consequences.B. If you want it in a mental-model style framework:
Map each principle to a known mental model (e.g., Inversion, Second-Order Thinking, Constraints, Leverage).
Explain the match.C. If you want the content to read like a playbook:
Translate the principles into practical operating rules someone can apply immediately.❹ Compare and Contrast;
Why it works like charm:
This prompt forces deeper reasoning. When i used this for the first time, AI revealed blind spots I didn’t know were in the text.)
Read the text and map its core arguments.
For each argument:
• Identify the dominant opposing view in the same field.
• Compare them directly: where they align, where they diverge, and the reason for each divergence.
• Explain the implications of the disagreement — what changes in practice, outcomes, or decisions.
End with a summary of the most consequential divergences (ranked by impact).❺ Extract Strategic Insights;
Why it works like a charm:
(It pushes the model into the expert mode. I use this when I want the conclusions that change decisions, not summaries.)
Analyze this text like a strategy consultant.
Step 1 — Extract the key insights:
• The non-obvious truths.
• The assumptions driving the author’s logic.
• The leverage points (what shifts the outcome most).
Step 2 — Surface the missed opportunities:
• Gaps in logic.
• Blind spots.
• Untapped advantages the author doesn’t mention.
Step 3 — Define the strategic implications:
• What decisions these insights should change.
• What actions I should act on immediately.
• What to stop, start, or double down on.
Deliver the output as:
1) Insights (ranked by impact)
2) Missed opportunities (with consequences)
3) Immediate actions (clear, terse, operational)The keyword “strategy” is the secret trigger that pushes Ai into an expert mode to give you strategic insights;
❻ Create a Knowledge Framework
Why it works:
(Frameworks make the text reusable. This is how you convert raw information into models you can teach or repurpose.)
Turn this content into a reusable framework that explains the topic clearly and logically.
Requirements:
• Identify the core idea the entire text rests on.
• Group the major concepts into clean categories, steps, or phases.
• Name each component with a short, memorable label.
• Define each component in 2–3 tight lines.
• Show how the components connect (flow, dependencies, or feedback loops).
• Include one concrete example that demonstrates how to use the framework in practice.
End with the full framework in a single, skimmable outline I can teach to others.❼ Extract What Others Overlook ( what you may miss when reading)
( I find this more valuable especially after reading. It finds the hidden meaning of the content. When you run this, AI catches the subtle signals that you might missed when reading the Content.)
Mega-Prompt:
Read the text and surface the expert-only insights.
For each section:
• Identify the hidden assumptions the author is relying on.
• Call out any biases (conceptual, methodological, strategic).
• Expose the unspoken implications — what the author is signaling without saying.
Then:
• Explain why each hidden element matters (what it changes in interpretation or decision-making).
• Rank the top 3–5 expert-level insights most readers would miss.
Keep the output blunt, analytical, and tightly reasoned.WHAT THESE PROMPTS AVOID:
- Surface-level summaries
(AI stops giving shallow recaps and starts analyzing the text) - AI hallucinations
(Clear instructions reduce confusion and force accurate reasoning) - Wasted time on chasing specific summaries
(You get the exact output you want in one run) - AI skipping or misreading parts of the text
(Structured prompts force the model to scan the full material)
WHERE TO USE THESE PROMPTS?
NotebookLM:
Best when you want to store, keep, and reuse your own information.Gemini:
Best for learning, relearning, and drilling concepts until they stick.ChatGPT 5:
Best for mentoring, and structured guidance.
