These guidelines apply to instructing AI tools to generate output that impersonates or mimics a specific person's style, voice, or persona. This includes prompt instructions, system prompts, skill definitions, and any other configuration used by tools in this repository.
Mentioning a person by name for other purposes (e.g., giving credit, referencing authorship, citing contributions) is perfectly acceptable and not covered by these guidelines.
Using a real person's name or identity to instruct an AI to replicate their style, voice, or persona. For example:
- "Create a commit message just like Jane Doe would write it"
- "Explain this in the style of [person's name]"
- "Write code review comments the way [person's name] does"
Describing the specific qualities you want directly, without referencing a person as a proxy:
- "Create a commit message that is direct, technically precise, and focused on the rationale behind changes"
- "Explain using clear analogies, a sense of wonder, and accessible language for non-experts"
- "Write code review comments that are encouraging, constructive, and focus on collaborative improvement"
Referencing people by name for factual purposes:
- "This module was originally authored by Jane Doe"
- "Credit John Smith for the bug fix in the changelog"
- Consent: Individuals have not consented to have their identity or persona used in AI-generated content
- Misrepresentation: AI cannot accurately replicate a person's unique voice, style, or intent
- Intellectual Property: A person's distinctive style may be protected
- Dignity: Using someone's identity without permission diminishes their autonomy
When you identify a desirable characteristic (clarity, brevity, formality, humor, etc.), describe it explicitly rather than using a person as a proxy. This ensures consent, prevents misrepresentation, respects intellectual property, and maintains dignity.