Greg Twemlow's "How to Get on the Pathway to Breakout Autonomy" discusses the importance of moving beyond simple AI prompting to a more sophisticated method called System Instructions. Twemlow argues that relying on one-shot prompts leads to "glittering sludge" because the AI lacks proper context, treating the user as a "ghost to the machine." Instead, he advocates for creating a Custom Context CV (C³), which acts as a "Metaphorical Gallery of You," allowing users to define their identity, ethics, and objectives for the AI. This approach ensures the AI collaborates with the user's authentic self, leading to more tailored and insightful results, as demonstrated in the practical example of UX Designer Jordan Li. Ultimately, mastering System Instructions transforms users into Discerner Architects, capable of truly harnessing AI for "Breakout Autonomy" by becoming orchestrators rather than mere query-givers. Read the article.
About the Author - Greg Twemlow writes and teaches at the intersection of technology, education, and human judgment. He works with educators and businesses to make AI explainable and assessable in classrooms and boardrooms — to ensure AI users show their process and own their decisions. His cognition protocol, the Context & Critique Rule™, is built on a three-step process: Evidence → Cognition → Discernment — a bridge from what’s scattered to what’s chosen. Context & Critique → Accountable AI™. © 2025 Greg Twemlow. “Context & Critique → Accountable AI” and “Context & Critique Rule” are unregistered trademarks (™).
