Master AI Skills for Better LLM Development

What are AI skills?

AI skills are bits of logic and rules that an LLM or agent can call on again and again. They are structured units that tell the model how to do or complete certain work. This is different from just typing a prompt every time. A skill lives in a folder or file, and the AI can load it when the task matches.

For Claude, a skill is a folder with instructions and optional code. Claude scans skills it knows about, and loads just what it needs when you ask it to do a task.

OpenAI Codex also lets you make skills. These are packages with a name, description, and instructions that Codex can use. Codex can pick a skill for a workflow automatically or when you tell it to use one.

In this view, skills let an LLM act less on the single prompt you type, and more like a worker using tools it already knows how to use.

• Task automation

Skills can make the model remember how to do repeated work. For example, a skill might tell an agent how to format a report, make a slide deck, or check code quality. Once that skill exists, you do not need to rewrite instructions every time. The agent can see the skill and follow it.

• Tool calling

Agents need to work with external tools to act in the world. Skills often let the agent call these tools in a defined way. A skill can contain code or scripts, or know how to invoke a service, API, or tool. When an agent hits a step that needs a tool, the skill guides it. This makes actions repeatable and reduces random calls from ad-hoc prompts.

• Memory use

Memory in agents means the ability to save and reuse information beyond one prompt. Skills can help with this by storing procedures, preferences, or steps for a workflow. Agents can pull relevant past task info back into the prompt when needed. Memory helps with continuity in longer jobs or when an agent must track the state over time.

• Multi-step reasoning

Big language models do better when they break work into parts. Skills support this idea by giving a blueprint or instructions that guide the agent through a series of steps. They make sure the agent does not just guess each step from scratch.

Agents with reasoning logic use skills to decide which step to take next, what to call first, and how to link results from one step to another.

• Agent workflows

An agent workflow is a sequence of tasks and checks that solve a larger job. Skills give agents known ways to handle part of that workflow. In both Claude and Codex, you can stack or combine skills, so an agent goes from one step to the next without you having to rewrite instructions. The agent can read a skill's description, load its rules, and do work in context.

For example, a workflow might start with data cleaning, then move to analysis, then to reporting. Each part could be a skill. The agent anchors each step to what the skill says.

How to create AI Skills in different LLMs

AI models are getting smarter about learning specific tasks. Instead of typing the same instructions over and over, you can now teach these models once. This is where skills come in. It's changing how people work with AI. Each company is doing it a bit differently, though. Let's look at how Claude, OpenAI, and Anthropic each handle this.

Claude

In Claude, a skill is a folder with a file named SKILL.md. Claude reads the name and description at startup. When a task looks like it matches the description, Claude loads the full instructions. The file must say what the skill does and in what situations Claude should use it.

How to create skills with example skills in Claude?

Follow the step-by-step guide to quickly create a skill in Claude with its example skills.

step 1
1. Access Claude and click "Settings"

Log in to your Claude, and on the main interface, click your profile to find the settings button. Click it to enter the Settings interface.

step 2
1. Choose your example skills

Click "Capabilities" to discover "Example skills," where there are several examples you can try in your Chat. Browse ones you like and click the slide button to activate them.

step 3
1. Try the example skill in your chat

After activating the example skills, you can use them in your chat. Click "Try in chat" to start your creation.

Claude will start analyzing and reading the skill to understand its capabilities and practices, and do the workflow based on the skill content. Wait for seconds to let Claude finish the analytics and creation. You can then check and download the result.

How to create a custom skill in Claude?

Here are the references to create a custom skill in Claude.

step 1
1. Go to the settings to add your custom skill

Access "Capabilities" in the Settings interface and click "Add" to create your custom skill. Once you open it, you will see three options: 1. Create with Claude, which means you can let Claude create a custom skill for you by giving detailed prompts. 2. Write skill instructions, including your skill name, description, and instructions. 3. Upload a skill, which lets you upload your created skill file.

step 2
1. Create your custom skill

You can choose a creation method based on your needs. Here, I choose "Write skill instructions" as an instance. I want Claude to help design a plane design for creative movie character posters, emphasizing creativity, bold yet balanced color, and a tribute to some classic movies. The image below shows the instructions I gave to Claude.

step 3
1. Try the created skill

After confirming the custom skill, you can find the skill in the "Your skills" panel. Click the slide button to open it. Unlike the example skills, the custom skill is fully editable. Now let's click "Try in chat" to see what will happen.

By analyzing the skill instructions, Claude, based on the requirements and description of AI skills, creates an AI generation panel for consistent creation. It offers several classic movie-style options for poster design.

Different skill instructions will generate different results. You can also use your custom AI skills to do lots of things, such as maintaining brand consistency, data analytics, and workflow organization. Hope you can get a good understanding and know how to create a custom skill in Claude through this guide.

OpenAI

OpenAI's Codex agent also supports skills. In Codex, skills follow the same idea: a folder with instructions that the agent can load on demand. You can use a built‑in tool to help make the skill. New skills help Codex do repeatable jobs without rewriting the full prompt each time.

OpenAI defines skills as reusable bundles. Each one contains a name, a short description, and the task steps. Codex looks at the descriptions and picks skills when a user request matches them. The standard comes from the shared Agent Skills format.

How to create AI skills in OpenAI?

You can either let Codex generate the initial files for you or build the skill yourself.

step 1
1. Use a skill creator

Use the built-in skill creator by running this in the Codex CLI or IDE extension: $skill-creator

You can add a prompt after the command to describe what the skill should do. The creator will ask what the skill does, when it should run, and whether it uses only instructions or code. It then makes a SKILL.md file with the basic structure already in place.

You can also create the skill manually if you want full control or prefer using an editor.

step 2
1. Set up the skill files

If you are doing it yourself, pick a place to save the skill folder:

• For your personal use, create a folder in your user skills path (for example ~/.codex/skills/<skill-name>).
• For a project, create it inside the .codex/skills/<skill-name> folder in that repository. Then make a file named SKILL.md inside that folder. Put a small bit of YAML front matter at the top like this:

--- name: <skill-name> description: <what the skill does and when to use it> ---

Below that, add the instructions or examples the skill should follow. These instructions tell Codex how to act when the skill runs.

step 3
1. Load and use the skill

After you save your SKILL.md file, you need to restart Codex so it can find your new skill. Once Codex restarts, it learns the skill's name and description and knows when to use it whenever someone asks for something that matches what the skill does. If your skill doesn't show up or doesn't work automatically, check three things: make sure the file is in the right folder, make sure you spelled SKILL.md exactly right, and make sure your name and description aren't too long or formatted wrong.

Anthropic (skill creator)

Anthropic's approach to skills is built around simple text files. These files follow a clear layout and do not need a complex setup. Claude finds them and only loads them when needed, so the AI stays fast.

Each skill lives in a folder. The key part is a SKILL.md file. That file starts with YAML front matter that has two required pieces of info: name and description. The rest of the file has the step‑by‑step guide and examples of how to use the skill. Skills can also reference extra files in the same folder if the job needs more detail.

How to create AI skills in Anthropic?

step 1
1. Create the skill folder

Start by creating a new folder for your skill. Use kebab-case for the folder name, such as project-planning-skill. Inside this folder, the main file must be named SKILL.md. This file is required and case-sensitive.

step 2
1. Write the SKILL.md file

Open SKILL.md and begin with YAML frontmatter. This tells Claude when to use the skill.

Below the frontmatter, write clear instructions in Markdown. Explain the steps Claude should follow, add examples of user requests, and include common errors with fixes. Optional folders like scripts/, references/, or assets/ can be added if the skill needs code, docs, or templates.

step 3
1. Upload and test the skill

Zip the skill folder and upload it in Claude.ai from Settings → Skills, or place it in the Claude Code skills directory. After upload, test the skill by asking questions that should trigger it.

Common elements across all LLM skills

1
1. Folder structure

Every LLM skill lives in its own folder. Inside that folder, there is a file called SKILL.md. This file holds the main content of the skill. You can also put extra directories in the same folder if your skill needs more resources, like code or templates. The folder must be named in a clear way so the agent can find it and load it when needed.

2
1. SKILL.md File

The heart of every skill is the SKILL.md file. Agents look for this file first. It tells the system what the skill is and how to do the work. You must name it exactly SKILL.md with capital letters and put it at the top level of the folder. Agents ignore the folder if this file is missing.

3
1. Metadata/YAML frontmatter

There is some metadata at the very top of SKILL.md. This is written in a language called YAML. At least two fields are in it:

- name: the skill's short name.

- description: a couple of sentences that explain what the skill does and when to use it.

When agents start up, they only read the name and description to find out what skills are available.

4
1. Instructions

Below the metadata, you write the real instructions in plain text or markdown. This part tells the agent how to perform the task. You can break it into steps, examples, hints, and any guidance you want. Agents will read this part only when they decide to use the skill. This keeps working efficiently and avoids loading the whole file all the time.

5
1. Optional scripts or code

You can add folders like scripts or others inside the skill folder if your task needs more code or tools. These can hold real code files, templates, or documents that you need to look up. They are not necessary, but they are helpful when the skill needs more than just written instructions. The agent only loads these files when they are needed.

What's the difference between AI skills and prompts?

Now that you know the difference between AI skills and prompts, let's explore how you can use AI-generated prompts to produce visual content with Pippit.

A quick look at Pippit AI: visualize AI prompts in LLMs

Pippit is an AI tool that lets you create images, videos, and designs in one place. It works like an agent with different modes, so you can guide it with clear instructions and get results that match your idea.

AI skills tell the LLMs how to think, what steps to follow, and what style to use. After you set these skills, the prompts you get are clearer and more useful. You can take those prompts and use them in Pippit.

Its AI video generator or AI design agent scans your prompt and generates high-quality content. Since Pippit runs on several AI modes, you can try the same skill-based prompt in different ways and adjust the output until it fits your goal.

Why choose Pippit to generate with LLMs

step 1
1. Quick response to AI prompts generated by LLMs

The AI video generator on Pippit accepts text prompts and LLM inputs, along with product links, images, documents, and video clips, to generate videos. The platform supports AI models, including Veo 3.1, Sora 2, Lite mode, and Agent mode, which turn any input into engaging video content with automated scripts, voiceovers, and captions. You can even generate videos featuring digital avatars in over 25 languages, complete with music, transitions, effects, and customizable elements, without requiring filming or extensive editing experience.

step 2
1. Bring AI prompts to life with real scenes

Pippit's has an AI design tool that uses Seedream 4.5 or Nano Banana Pro to generate illustrations, marketing images, artwork, and other images from your idea and reference images. You can set the aspect ratio, add text to the images through prompts, and even use the outpaint, upscale, inpaint, and eraser options to edit the pictures.

step 3
1. Schedule and track posts

Pippit offers an auto-publisher and analytics dashboard, so you can schedule and track your social media posts with ease. You can plan content for up to a month and post it on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. The platform's Analytics dashboard provides detailed insights into follower growth, engagement metrics, impressions, and content performance for all connected platforms.

How to turn AI prompts generated by LLMs into videos with Pippit

Follow these three quick steps to generate high-quality videos with AI prompts in large language models for presentations, social media posts, ads, and more.

step 1
1. Open the Video generator

• Sign up for a Pippit account. Use your Google, TikTok, or Facebook login. Whatever is easiest.
• Click "Video generator" from the left panel.
• Type your video idea generated from LLMs in the text field. Your prompt can be specific. Don't just say "make a marketing video." Say something like "product showcase with smooth transitions, bright colors, and modern music."
• The more detailed you are, the better Pippit understands what you want. Think of your prompt like a skill description. It tells Pippit exactly when and how to work.

step 2
1. Generate videos from prompts

• Click "Add media and more" if you want to upload photos, video clips, or reference material. This is like adding "assets" to a skill. You're giving Pippit the raw materials it needs.
• Click "Choose a model." Pick based on what you need. Lite mode is fast for quick marketing videos. Agent mode is creative and flexible. Veo 3.1 handles realistic videos well. Sora 2 creates polished content.
• If you pick agent mode, upload a reference video to show Pippit the style you want.
• Open "Customize video settings." Set your video length. Pick your language for voiceovers or captions.
• Click "Generate." Pippit makes your video. It adds animations, transitions, and effects. All based on the instructions you gave it.

step 3
1. Export and share

• Click "Edit more" to open the editing interface and review what Pippit created.
• You can swap backgrounds, add auto-captions, trim clips, and apply filters. Small adjustments make a big difference.
• Click "Download" to save the video to your computer.
• You can also click "Publish" to share it right away wherever you need it.

How to create images with LLM-generated prompts in Pippit

Simply click the link below to sign up and then go through these three quick steps to create images, illustrations, or artwork with Pippit:

step 1
1. Open AI design

• Click on "Start for free" in the upper right corner of Pippit's website.
• Sign up with your email, Google, Facebook, or TikTok account. Whatever works for you.
• Click "Image studio" under "Creation."
• Click "AI design" under "Level up marketing images."
• Type your prompt. Be specific about what you want. Describe colors, style, mood, and details. The clearer you are, the better Pippit understands your vision.

step 2
1. Create images from prompts

• Click the "+" button if you want to upload reference pictures. Maybe you have examples of the style you're going for. Maybe you want specific elements the AI should use as inspiration.
• Click "Model" to choose between Seedream or Nano Banana. Each one has different strengths. If you're not sure, leave it on Auto and let Pippit decide.
• Pick the aspect ratio you need, depending on your project.
• Click "Generate" and wait while Pippit's AI creates your image based on everything you described.

step 3
1. Export to your device

• Look through the images that were generated. Pick the one that's closest to what you have in mind.
• Use "Inpaint" if you need to change specific parts of the image. Maybe a face doesn't look right. Maybe you want to swap out an object. This tool lets you fix small areas without regenerating the whole thing.
• Use "Outpaint" and select an aspect ratio or size if you need more space around your image. The AI will fill in new areas while matching the style of the original image.
• Choose "Eraser" to get rid of any weird artifacts or mistakes in the image.
• Upscale the image if you need better clarity and sharper details. This is really useful if you're going to print the image or use it on a big screen.
• Open the "Download" menu and pick your file format. JPG is smaller and good for most uses. PNG keeps better quality and supports transparency if you need that.
• Decide whether you want a watermark or not and hit "Download" to save your image to your computer.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about what AI skills are and gave an overview of them in different LLMs, like Claude, OpenAI, and Anthropic. We also looked at the common parts of skills, like the folder structure, SKILL.md file, metadata, instructions, and optional code. You saw how AI skills differ from regular prompts, and why they make tasks more reusable and structured. Understanding these skills can help you create better content, automate steps, and get more consistent results from AI agents. Now you can take these structured gen AI skills and use them in a practical way with Pippit. Start using Pippit now.

FAQs

1
1. What are generative AI skills used for?

Generative AI skills are used to define how an AI should think, what steps it should follow, and what type of output it should produce. They turn a simple prompt into a structured process that the model can repeat for writing, analysis, coding, and creative tasks. In healthcare, finance, and science, generative AI helps with tasks like summarizing reports, analyzing data, and speeding up research or diagnostic work. With Pippit's AI agent, you can take the prompts you build in LLMs and use them in Pippit to simplify your creative workflow.

2
1. How long does it take to learn AI skills?

Learning AI skills can take a few weeks for basic understanding and a few months to get comfortable with building structured workflows and reusable instructions. Many people start with simple prompt logic and slowly move toward multi-step skills and tool use. After you know how to learn AI skills and how long it takes, you can apply what you learn in a more hands-on way by testing your structured prompts directly in visual projects with Pippit.

3
1. What are the most useful generative AI skills?

The most useful generative AI skills include clear prompt structuring, step-by-step reasoning, content planning, style control, and the ability to reuse instructions for similar tasks. These skills let you get stable results for writing, analysis, design, and automation. They also support working with tools, managing context, and guiding the model through longer workflows.

4
1. How do Claude's skills differ from other AI skills?

Claude's skills focus on understanding and generating natural, helpful, and safe responses, with a strong emphasis on reasoning, summarization, and following instructions closely. Compared to other AI, Claude is designed to be more cautious, avoid harmful outputs, and handle nuanced or complex tasks like multi-step reasoning or sensitive topics. While many AI models excel at speed or creativity, Claude balances usefulness with safety and clarity.

5
1. Do AI skills help in getting jobs?

AI skills can help with jobs because they show that you know how to work with modern tools and give clear instructions to AI systems. These skills are useful in roles like content creation, marketing, data work, and product teams where AI is part of daily work. You can show these skills in practice by using Pippit. When you turn your structured prompts into videos, images, and campaigns with AI tools.