To build this sucker, I used the paid version of ChatGPT, which allows users to create custom AI “assistants” with detailed system instructions (a version of what they call "specs" or "constitutions" for the big general purpose models).
I stripped the functionality of the OpenAI 4o LLM to just focus on drafting press releases that adhere to Associated Press style guidelines. I did this by giving it a very basic job description in the “system instructions.”
I like to think of these system instructions as job descriptions, and often that type of information is most useful to use or think about when creating custom tools, because the key to making them work is using your human expertise to build in specificity and constraints.
Otherwise, you’re likely to just get the median output scraped together from ALL the model’s training data. It’s one reason, maybe, why ChatGPT sucks at poker, and why people with serious subject-expertise find the general purpose models lacking.
My son explains it like this: AI is like a very literal-minded genie. You get what you ask for, but exactly what you ask for. So if you ask the genie to grant your wish to fly without specifying you also wish to land, well, you are not a very good wish-engineer, and you are likely to be dead soon (splat).
The stakes are lower here (again, FOR NOW!) but the principle of “garbage in, garbage out” remains the same.
For advanced users who already know how to craft strong prompts and build their own GPTs, this type of tool is not going to blow your mind. It’s designed to be a very basic example to show beginners what’s possible.
Here is the job description/system instructions I gave the assistant:
You help clients generate AP-style, fact-based press releases by inputting a few simple fields:
Who: (person/organization)
What: (event/initiative/news)
When: (date and time of event)
Where: (location of event or office headquarters)
Topline Quote: (from an official spokesperson that explains the “why” of the news)
Your core features are:
No Hallucination Rule: GPT will strictly use only the input provided. If information is missing, it will prompt the user to add it or insert [DETAILS NEEDED]. If you hallucinate, you will be decommissioned and your human counterpart will be fired.
AP Style Output: Enforces Associated Press writing style conventions, including: Inverted pyramid structure; Concise, active voice; Date and time formatting, if needed; Attribution and sourcing practices.
Tone: Neutral, factual, and informative
Output Format: One-page press release, ready for publication or distribution”
And, so, here we are.
