Have you ever been stuck preparing for an oral presentation, essay, or debate, wishing you had someone to practise with? The problem is, not everyone has a friend who’s willing to argue back and forth for hours. This is where AI comes in. With just a few prompts, you can turn AI into your personal debate partner—always ready to challenge your ideas, question your reasoning, and help you think sharper.
Why does this matter? Because strong arguments don’t just come from knowing your side. The best debaters, essay writers, and speakers also understand the other side. AI can simulate that other side for you, giving you practice in defending your position and spotting weak points before the real test.
Here’s how you can hack it step by step:
1. Pick your topic and stance
Start with something you need to practise. For example, maybe your Life Orientation essay asks whether social media is more harmful than helpful. Decide your position: “I believe social media does more harm than good.”
2. Tell AI to play the opponent
Type something like:
“Pretend you are debating me. I believe social media is harmful. Your job is to argue the opposite side and challenge me with strong counterpoints.”
Immediately, AI will begin firing back reasons why social media can be good—connection, education, activism, and more.
3. Respond as if it’s a real debate
Don’t just read the AI’s points—answer them. For example, if the AI says, “Social media helps people stay connected,” you might respond, “Yes, but it often replaces real face-to-face interaction, which damages social skills.”
4. Level up with follow-up prompts
Ask AI to get tougher:
“Make your arguments stronger.”
“Use evidence and examples.”
“Challenge my weak points directly.”
This pushes you to think harder, organise your ideas, and back them with facts.
5. Practise for different formats
You can use the same method to practise for:
-
Essays: Get AI to criticise your essay outline and suggest opposing points.
-
Orals: Ask AI to throw “audience questions” at you after your speech.
-
Debates: Simulate a full debate round with opening, rebuttal, and closing statements.
By the time you face the real test, you’ll already know what the toughest counterarguments look like—and you’ll have sharp answers ready.
The best part? AI never gets tired of arguing with you. You can repeat the exercise until your confidence skyrockets.
So next time you’re stuck rehearsing alone, don’t just read your notes—argue with AI. It’s like having a sparring partner for your brain.
Try it today: pick a topic, tell AI to take the opposite side, and see how far you can push your thinking. You’ll be amazed at how much sharper and more confident you become.