By admin 
Source: Art: DALL-E/OpenAI
The question is at the heart of our engagement with large language models. And a good portion attention has fallen on “prompt engineering” – a term that has now become commonplace and represents the practice of creating instructions to direct the responses of AI models. But as we deepen our engagement with these language models, something interesting has emerged: an evolution from fast engineering to what might better be called “fast chemistry.” Instead of seeing cues as mere instructions, we begin to see them as compounds, with individual words and phrases interacting to produce effects that are often much greater than the sum of their parts. Get out your Erlenmeyer flask and let’s mix things up.
From technology to chemistry
Prompt engineering has traditionally focused on creating well-structured, clear and complete input. However, my observations indicate a shift: certain word combinations appear to behave like molecular compounds, catalyzing unique AI behavior. Just as H₂O creates water with properties beyond those of hydrogen or oxygen alone, these carefully chosen terms trigger complex AI “reactions.” This shift takes us beyond structural thinking and invites us to treat cues as linguistic molecules, analyzing how specific combinations generate desired—and often unexpectedly insightful—responses.
This concept connects in an intriguing way Chain of thought methodology, where prompts are designed to encourage step-by-step reasoning. Chain of Thought illustrates how a fast structure, when carefully crafted, can guide AI into deeper and more deliberate cognitive modes, much like catalysts in a chemical reaction.
Building linguistic catalysts
At the heart of this chemistry are linguistic catalysts: specific word combinations that can amplify or transform AI responses. As in chemistry, these catalysts work at multiple levels and can be combined into more advanced ‘molecular’ forms:
Basic catalytic pairs. With AI prompts, even a two-word sentence can serve as a powerful catalyst. Consider these:
Critically analyze—triggers deeper, more evaluative thinking.
Systematic exploration—requires a structured, step-by-step approach.
Consider fundamentally:provokes a dive into core or first principles.
Complex catalytic compounds. These base pairs can be further combined into complex catalytic ‘compounds’: multi-word combinations that trigger even more nuanced AI responses. For example:
Step-by-step analysis of first principles—encourages a comprehensive, fundamental approach.
Deep systematic critical research –requires a meticulous exploration with layered depth.
Carefully structured comprehensive exploration –leads to a thorough, organized response.
In this context, the difference is not just about word count or phrasing; it’s about harnessing the unique power of these compounds to produce nuanced cognitive effects. The language model is triggered to work in a more advanced way, as if the prompt has lowered its ‘activation energy’ for advanced thinking, similar to how chemical reactions work.
Reactive Properties: How Fast Molecules Affect AI
Like chemical compounds, these fast ‘molecules’ exhibit properties that make them much more than just a collection of words:
Non-linearity: The effects of a well-chosen prompt often exceed the sum of its parts, creating a deeper analysis or a more coherent answer than we might expect.
Specificity: Certain combinations tend to activate specific processing modes in the model, leading it into areas of analysis that might not otherwise arise.
Coherence: Effective catalytic combinations can produce similar results across different subjects, indicating a reproducible “reactive” quality.
Scalability: Simple catalytic pairs can often be combined into more complex ‘reaction chains’, allowing for gradual layering of thoughtfulness, creativityor insight.
Fast chemistry also increases rapid efficiency, optimizes token usage, and potentially reduces computational costs while improving AI response quality.
A periodic table of fast elements?
The analogy with chemistry suggests a fascinating future. Imagine a “periodic table” of prompt elements: an organized system of linguistic catalysts and compounds that can be used to shape AI responses with accuracy and intent. Such a table could categorize common catalysts, such as “critically analyze” or “extensive investigation,” and show how they can be sequenced to induce the desired “reaction patterns” in the AI’s output.
Practical guidelines for rapid chemistry
Fast chemistry is not just an academic concept; it can reshape the way we interact with AI on a practical level. Here are some steps to explore the chemistry of prompting:
Start with basic pairs: Start experimenting with simple catalytic pairs such as “critically analyze” or “systematic explore” to observe their effects on the AI’s responses.
Build complex connections: Once you’re familiar with basic pairs, try combining them into more complicated structures, noting how they interact to produce increasingly sophisticated results.
Keep an eye on comments: Pay close attention to the results. How do different combinations affect the AI’s depth of analysis, structure, and conceptual clarity? Noticing these effects can help you refine your approach and understand which “concentrations” of specific elements work best.
The molecular future of prompting
This expanded perspective on AI prompts suggests we’re just at the beginning of a broader, deeper understanding of how language impacts cognition– even in non-human systems. By moving conceptually from engineering to chemistry, we open up new ways of thinking about AI and language that go beyond just getting the ‘right answer’. Instead, we enter a space where the structure of our language shapes not only what is said, but also how it is thought about, created, and conveyed.
In this way, fast chemistry is not just a new metaphor; it is a fundamental shift in the way we interact with and conceptualize LLMs. By identifying and harnessing these linguistic catalysts, we move beyond the mechanisms of rapid engineering to a near-molecular-level interaction that transforms language into a dynamic, reactive force for intelligence. And perhaps, as we continue to explore, we will discover that the power of language lies not just in communication, but in the alchemical reactions it produces.