How to brainstorm new ideas with AI: 5 brainstorming techniques to try

Ask open-ended questions

The best way to kick off your AI brainstorming sessions is to start with regular open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are broad and can’t be answered with a single “yes” or “no.” Asking these questions to AI can result in diverse perspectives and suggestions you may have never considered.

Try open-ended questions like:

• What type of characters might appear in a medieval fantasy novel?
• What are some unconventional ways to reduce food waste?
• How do I get started filming a short indie horror movie?
• How do you celebrate a golden retriever’s birthday?

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Role-play

Explore different viewpoints and scenarios by role-playing with AI. Like acting, role-playing involves portraying a certain type of role or character. This is especially helpful if you’re writing characters since it gives you a feel for how different personalities or people would react in situations. Try the following AI prompts:

• Pretend that I’m a waiter at an upscale Italian restaurant. You are the customer, and you received the wrong meal. How would you react?
• Imagine you’re an alien ambassador from Mars meeting humans for the first time. I’m the human leader. How would you introduce your species and establish peace?

Make lists

Making lists is a straightforward yet effective brainstorming technique as all the ideas are laid out for you to pick and choose. AI generates a generous number of ideas, solutions, or strategies in a few seconds. Try prompt examples like:

• My brother and I want to start a rock band. Can you create a list of 20 band names that involve geology?
• Generate a list of 50 superhero names for my hamster.

Create a mind map

What is a mind map? It’s a visual brainstorming tool that helps you organize ideas and see the connections between them. Begin with a central idea or theme. Then, ask AI to generate related subtopics or branches. These can all be organized into a visual mind map, either digitally or on paper. Think of a mind map as a blueprint for your ideas to execute projects in the real world. For example, if your main concept is launching a podcast, AI could list tangents like finding equipment, coming up with a podcast name, and creating the actual content. Use these base prompts for starting a mind map:

• What are some creative ways to expand on the main idea of [concept]?
• Show me how to do a mind map. Ask me a series of questions to guide me in creating the mind map I want.

Explore “what if?” scenarios

“What if?” scenarios are great for thinking outside the box, challenging assumptions, foreseeing outcomes, and exploring different solutions. Pose a hypothetical situation to AI and have it speculate on outcomes, reactions, or challenges. Here are some example prompts:

• What if money didn’t exist in today’s world? How would economies function?
• What would happen to humankind if AI systems could replicate themselves?
• What would happen if a powerful solar storm knocked out the internet on Earth for a month? What conflicts would unfold?

The next time you’re wondering how to brainstorm about a topic or looking for new ways to think outside the box, remember these five AI brainstorming techniques and explore more everyday AI innovations.