The blank prompt is where most AI products lose people.
They open the app, see an empty field, freeze, type something vague, get a vague answer, and decide the product is not useful. That is usually onboarding, not model quality.
Products with strong retention teach what is possible, push the first run toward a real win, and reveal advanced features later. Four patterns that do that:
1. Example prompts
Clickable starters on the empty state show range and give an instant first try. Group them by job (Writing, Analysis, Code) so people find something that matches their work.
Interactive Demo: Example Prompts
What are we working on today?
Pick a starter or write your own prompt below.
→ Explore the Example Prompts pattern
2. Empty state design
An empty chat should still orient. Show a short list of what the product can do, a few use cases, and one clear first action. First sessions decide whether people come back.
Interactive Demo: Prompt Starters
What are we working on today?
Pick a starter or write your own prompt below.
→ Explore the Prompt Starters pattern
3. Progressive feature unlock
Many AI products ship dozens of features. New users need a handful. Hide advanced tools until someone has completed a first success, then surface the next layer.
Interactive Demo: Progressive Feature Unlock
Onboarding
Capability unlock
Reveal advanced AI after first success
Basic chat
Send prompts and get replies
Prompt templates
Start from proven starters
Tool use
Search, calculate, and connect apps
Ready to unlock
Agent mode
Multi-step plans with approvals
Complete Tool use first
→ Explore the Progressive Feature Unlock pattern
4. Interactive tutorials
Docs rarely get read. Guided tasks inside the product teach by doing: one concrete step, completable, with success as feedback.
Interactive Demo: Interactive Tutorials
Quick tour
0 of 3 complete
STEP 1 · ACCEPT A SUGGESTION
Press Accept to keep the ghost completion.
COMPOSER
The better ones feel like using the product with help appearing when it is needed, not like a course.
→ Explore the Interactive Tutorials pattern
Why this shows up in retention
People who know what the AI can do use it more. People who use it more find more of it. That loop is the real goal of onboarding. A strong model still fails if the first session never lands.