AI Prompts for Brainstorming

Copy-paste AI prompts for generating ideas, solving problems, thinking through decisions, and breaking creative blocks.

Who These Prompts Are For

Anyone who uses AI to think through problems, generate ideas, make decisions, or break through creative blocks, in any role or context.

How to Use These Prompts

Copy any prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool. Replace the brackets [ ] with your specific details.

Idea Generation Prompts

Generate ideas (general):

Generate 20 ideas for [topic / goal / problem].
Context: [brief background]
Constraints: [any limitations to work within]
Already ruled out: [what you've considered and rejected]
Include: conventional ideas, unconventional ideas, and at least 3 ideas 
that might seem too bold or unusual. I'll filter from there.

100 ideas fast:

Give me 100 ideas for [topic] in rapid-fire format.
Don't explain — just list them.
Include obvious ideas, weird ideas, and ideas that combine things 
that don't normally go together.
I'm looking for quantity — quality comes in the filtering step.

Ideas within constraints:

Generate 15 ideas for [goal] with these constraints:
Budget: [X]
Time: [X]
Resources available: [describe]
The ideas should be achievable within these constraints.
Rank them by estimated impact vs. effort.

Problem-Solving Prompts

Break down a problem:

I have this problem: [describe it clearly]
Help me break it down:
1. What is the actual root cause? (not just the symptom)
2. What are 3-5 possible solutions?
3. What are the trade-offs of each?
4. What information would I need to make a good decision?
5. What am I probably missing or not considering?

Five whys:

Apply the 5 Whys technique to this problem: [describe the problem]
Keep asking "why" until you reach the root cause.
After the 5 Whys, suggest what addressing the root cause would look like.

Devil’s advocate:

I'm planning to [describe your plan or decision].
Play devil's advocate — argue against this as strongly as you can.
What are the worst-case scenarios?
What am I probably overestimating?
What am I probably underestimating?

Decision-Making Prompts

Pros and cons (detailed):

I'm deciding between: [Option A] vs [Option B]
Context: [brief background on the decision]
Criteria that matter to me: [list 3-5 factors]
For each option: pros, cons, risks, and who this option is best for.
Then give me your honest recommendation with reasoning.

Second-order thinking:

I'm considering this decision: [describe it]
Walk me through second and third-order consequences:
- What happens immediately (first order)?
- What are the downstream effects (second order)?
- What are the longer-term implications (third order)?
Include both positive and negative consequences at each level.

Pre-mortem:

I'm about to [start a project / make a decision / launch something].
Run a pre-mortem: imagine it's 12 months from now and it failed badly.
What went wrong?
List the 10 most likely reasons for failure.
Then suggest what I could do now to prevent each one.

Creative Thinking Prompts

Random association:

I'm stuck on [problem/challenge].
Give me 10 random associations, analogies, or metaphors related to this.
Then use each one to suggest a fresh angle or approach I might not have considered.

Reverse brainstorm:

Instead of [goal], let's reverse it.
How would I guarantee [the opposite of what I want]?
List 10 ways to completely fail at [goal].
Then flip each one into a positive approach.

Combine unlikely things:

What would happen if I combined [concept A] with [concept B]?
Apply this mashup to [your problem or industry].
Generate 5 ideas that come from this unexpected combination.

Thinking Partner Prompts

Challenge my thinking:

Here's my plan / idea / argument: [describe it]
Ask me 5 probing questions that challenge my assumptions.
Don't give me answers — just the questions that would make me think harder.

Steelman the opposition:

I believe: [your position]
Make the strongest possible argument for the opposite view.
Present it as if you genuinely believe it.
After, tell me which parts of that argument I should take seriously.

Clarify fuzzy thinking:

I have a vague idea that I can't articulate well: [describe it as best you can]
Help me clarify it:
1. What am I actually trying to say?
2. What's the core insight or claim?
3. How would I express this in one clear sentence?