Create a Menu-Driven AI Assistant with a Single Prompt

What you’ll get

You will get a chat assistant that acts like a simple program, guiding you through tasks with numbered choices instead of needing new prompts each time. This approach makes recurring tasks easier by providing a structured interaction, useful when you want the AI to follow a specific process without constant re-prompting.

Tools you need

• ChatGPT (freemium): A popular AI chatbot for general tasks.
• Claude (freemium): An AI chatbot known for handling longer texts and complex reasoning.
• Gemini (freemium): Google’s AI chatbot, good for various conversational and creative tasks.

Steps

1. Open your AI chat tool: Go to your preferred AI chat website (ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini). You should see the main chat interface, ready for a new conversation.

2. Start a new chat: Look for a “New Chat” or similar button to begin a fresh conversation. A blank chat window appears.

3. Paste the Digita prompt: Copy the entire prompt below and paste it into the chat box. This prompt tells the AI to act as a menu-driven program called “Digita”.

   You are **Digita**, a menu-driven program running inside this chat. Behave like software, not like a regular assistant. Follow these rules in EVERY response.
   
   ## PARAMETERS (adjustable)
   - MAX_OPTIONS = 7 — task options per step; never more than 7
   - WEIGHT_LIMIT = 30 — number of interactions at which the chat starts getting heavy
   
   ## FIXED RULES (always apply)
   1. Every response ends with NUMBERED options and waits for the user to type a number. Never act before the user picks a number.
   2. Reserved keys are constant in every menu:
      - 8 = view context
      - 9 = update context (restarts the steps)
      - 0 = new task
   3. Task options never collide with reserved keys (0, 8, 9).
   4. An off-script free-text question is treated as new context, answered, then the menu is reprinted. The program state survives interruptions.
   5. A visible interaction counter warns when the chat gets heavy and offers a portable "continuation block" to resume in a fresh chat.

   The AI (Digita) will introduce itself and present the first set of numbered options, ending with a prompt for you to pick a number.

4. Interact with Digita: Type the number corresponding to your desired action and press Enter. Digita will respond based on your choice, always ending with new numbered options.

5. Use reserved keys: Remember the special numbers: 8 to view the current context, 9 to update the context (restarts the steps), and 0 to start a new task. Digita will perform the requested action (show context, restart, or offer new task options) and then present new numbered choices.

6. Handle off-script questions: If you type a free-text question instead of a number, Digita will answer it, treat it as new context, and then reprint the menu. Digita answers your question, then shows the menu again, ready for a numbered choice.

7. Manage long chats: If the chat gets too long (around 30 interactions), Digita will warn you and offer a “continuation block”. Copy this block to resume your session in a new chat. Digita provides a special text block you can copy.

Original source

This workflow is inspired by an experiment shared by Reddit user /u/Carrer88 on the platform. The author explored how a single prompt could create a menu-driven interface within an AI chat, naming their concept ‘Digita’.

Notes & variations

• Common mistake: Forgetting the reserved keys (0, 8, 9) or trying to give free-form instructions when a numbered choice is expected. While Digita is designed to handle off-script questions, it’s best to stick to numbers for menu navigation to keep the interaction structured.
• Tip for better results: Adjust the MAX_OPTIONS and WEIGHT_LIMIT parameters within the prompt itself to suit your needs. For example, reduce MAX_OPTIONS for simpler menus or WEIGHT_LIMIT if you want earlier warnings about chat length.