Leverage ChatGPT for Procurement (2025 Update) Introduction In procurement, staying ahead means continuously embracing tools that boost efficiency, insight, and agility. Since our 2024 overview of ChatGPT in sourcing, the underlying technology and prompting techniques have matured rapidly. This update distills recent non-technical explanations of how ChatGPT works, beginner-to-advanced prompt frameworks, and practical tips for buyers to get started immediately. How ChatGPT Actually Works Even for non-techies, it helps to grasp the “big picture” of large-language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT: Key takeaway: You don’t need to code or understand algorithms to use ChatGPT—just think of it as a highly knowledgeable, context-aware writing assistant. Prompt Engineering: From Basics to Mastery 1. Beginner Prompts Jodie Cook (2025) outlines ten prompts that guide you from “list five” up through basic refinement—ideal for first-time users: 2. Intermediate Techniques Sheetal Bandari (2025) recommends ten “easy ways” to level up prompt precision: 3. Advanced Strategies Applying ChatGPT Across Procurement Use Case Example Prompt Category Strategy “Analyze 2024 spend data for indirect materials and identify three cost-reduction opportunities.” Supplier Discovery “Find tier-1 steel suppliers in Europe with ISO certification; output as a table with contact details.” RFP Drafting “Generate an RFP outline for IT services, including scope, SLAs, and evaluation criteria.” Negotiation Prep “Role-play as a supplier; propose behalf arguments for a price increase and suggest counterarguments.”...
