What to Do When AI Gets... Hyper

🕓 Read time: ~3 min

Sometimes, AI behaves like it’s guzzled three espresso shots plus a vodka bull. It's celebrating your every move and suggesting to do this, that and the other, all before you even properly worked through your initial task. 

The other day, I was working with AI on some course materials. I started out with a little creative brainstorming, just to see if I could make the content more engaging. I never even got into brainstorming mode because for whatever reason, AI started acting like it had joined a big party:

• It was way too cheerful. Over the top. Restless.
• It answered before I’d even finished asking.
• Most frustratingly, it kept jumping to conclusions instead of working with me.

That really annoyed me. At one point, I had to type: “Hey… slow down. I can’t even follow you.”

That’s when I remembered: I’m in the driver’s seat here.

If an AI (and that's any AI) starts to feel “off,” I can pause, recalibrate, and take the lead. Prompting isn’t about typing magic commands. It’s a dialogue. Every AI reflects how we lead it.

If it starts to sprint, it’s up to us to bring it back in line.

🔁 How-To Regain Control

When your AI gets a little too hyper or jumps ahead, try these prompts to regain control and get the results you want:

• “Before you answer, ask me 2–3 questions to clarify what I actually need.”
  (Shifts the AI from assumption-making into “discovery mode.” Especially helpful to those who value dialogue.)

• “Let’s work on one thing at a time. Work with me to finish [insert task]. Only when I confirm I’m ready to move on, we will do so.”
  (Slows down the AI, focuses it on the task at hand, and supports an iterative, step-by-step approach.)

• “Wait. Stop. Let’s slow down.”
  (A simple reset that breaks the momentum. Works best if followed up with a specific redirection or new instruction.)

Try these with any AI. You might be surprised at how quickly they respond!

Key Takeaway 

If your AI gets into "hyperactive mode" remember: you’re always in control.

Pause, recalibrate, and lead the way.

Give it a try... til next time,

Elena