I’ve been using AI since ChatGPT launched. For quick questions, any model works fine. But when I tried using it for bigger projects — building training programs, complex software, multi-week deliverables — I kept hitting the same three walls:

1. Drift: The AI slowly forgot what I was trying to accomplish and wandered off into unrelated directions.
2. Hallucination: It made up facts that sounded plausible but were completely wrong.
3. Context limits: When conversations got too long, I had to start over and lost all progress.

I got frustrated. Really frustrated. So I did something different.

I built a structured prompt framework that keeps the AI on track — and keeps me in control.

Here’s What Actually Works

Preventing Drift: Enforce a State Machine

I created a state machine — a step-by-step path that the AI must follow. It can’t skip steps. It can’t take shortcuts. Before moving forward, it must complete checkpoints.

In my training prompt, I wrote explicitly: “No drift: Every topic follows an identical workflow. No shortcuts, no variations, no exceptions.” The AI verifies completion at each step before continuing. If I don’t confirm we’re ready to advance, we don’t advance.

Preventing Hallucination: Mandate Verification

I force the AI to verify its sources before making any claims. Every time it states a fact, it must:

• Check if it’s documented in the provided knowledge base (and cite the source)
• If not documented, verify with actual command output or external reference
• If uncertain, admit it and test first

I added this rule: “When making ANY statement, first check if covered in the Knowledge Base. If not found: State ‘Let me verify this.’ Never guess, assume, or fabricate.”

This shifts the burden of proof to the AI — and keeps me as the final authority on what’s accurate.

Managing Context Limits: Build a Progress Tracker

I built a detailed progress tracker that persists across sessions. When I start a new conversation, I tell the AI: “We completed topics 0–2 with these quiz scores. Continue from topic 3.” I include the structured prompt again and state: “Do not deviate from it.”

The AI picks up exactly where we left off. No rework. No starting from zero.

A Real Example

I’m currently building a professional services training program. The AI follows 19 topics in a specific sequence. Each topic requires passing a quiz with 80% or higher before advancing. If my confidence level is below 3 out of 5, we don’t move forward. Period.

After three topics, my quiz scores were 90%, 96%, and 100%. The AI isn’t drifting because it can’t. It’s not hallucinating because it has to prove every claim. And I’m reviewing every output before we proceed.

The Tradeoff

Does it take more time up front? Yes. Building that structured prompt took hours.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Now I can work on complex projects that span days or weeks, and the AI stays consistent and reliable — because I’ve built guardrails that keep it there.

The Takeaway

If you’re struggling with AI that forgets the goal, fabricates information, or loses track after long conversations, you’re not alone. The solution isn’t trying harder to “prompt well.” It’s building structure that the AI cannot escape — and keeping yourself in the loop as the authority on correctness, priorities, and progress.

I’m happy to share what I learned. Just reach out.

Article: https://bit.ly/48y3pj1