In the Bible’s book of Job, Satan stands before God with an accusation.
He claims that Job only serves God because he’s been blessed with wealth, family, and health. Take it all away, Satan argues, and Job will curse God to His face.
So God allows the test.
Here’s the exact section from Job 1 (this is the ERV, so all you KVJ only-ists please forgive me) starting at verse 12:
The Lord said to Satan, "All right, do whatever you want with anything that he has, but don’t hurt Job himself."
Then Satan left the meeting.
One day Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house. A messenger came to Job and said, "We were plowing the fields with the oxen and the donkeys were eating grass nearby, when some Sabeans attacked us and took your animals! They killed the other servants. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"
That messenger was still speaking when another one came in and said, "A bolt of lightning struck your sheep and servants and burned them up. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"
That messenger was still speaking when another one came in and said, "The Chaldeans sent out three raiding parties that attacked us and took the camels! They killed the other servants. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"
That messenger was still speaking when another one came in and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house. A strong wind suddenly came in from across the desert and blew the house down. It fell on your sons and daughters, and they are all dead. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"
When Job heard this, he got up, tore his clothes, and shaved his head to show his sadness. Then he fell to the ground to bow down before God and said:
"When I was born into this world,
I was naked and had nothing.
When I die and leave this world,
I will be naked and have nothing.
The Lord gives,
and the Lord takes away.
Praise the name of the Lord!"
Even after all this, Job did not sin. He did not accuse God of doing anything wrong.This is a powerful section of scripture.
Satan destroyed Job’s wealth, killed his children, and took everything from him. Yet, Job’s faith in God held firm.
Here’s the fascinating part: God didn’t banish Satan. He used him.
Why?
Because Satan’s challenge was a stress test. A legitimacy check. Can Job’s faith survive when the blessings disappear?
Without the adversary asking hard questions, it’s hard to prove integrity. Without the challenge, it’s hard to demonstrate that any belief is genuine.
That’s exactly what most of our thinking is missing.
A proper adversary.
Whether you’re making a major decision, solving a complex problem, or preparing to defend an idea, it’s dangerously easy to fall in love with your own reasoning.
We surround ourselves with people who agree. We cherry-pick evidence. We mistake consensus for truth.
Right up until reality exposes the flaws we never saw coming.
The Devil’s Advocate AI pattern is your deliberate invitation to opposition.
Before you commit. Before you present. Before you assume you’re right.
You summon a merciless critic to find every flaw, every hidden assumption, and every reason your thinking might be wrong.
Here’s the shift:
You’re not asking the AI for validation. You’re commanding it to find the disaster you can’t see coming.
And that single shift, from supporter to adversary, can mean the difference between sound judgment and costly mistakes.
Let me show you how it works.
How it Works: Devil’s Advocate Prompting
Using this technique is about being direct with the AI and inviting criticism.
Step 1: State Your Idea, Plan, or Belief
Clearly and confidently present the strategy, campaign, or piece of content you want to stress-test. (e.g., “Our new marketing slogan will be ‘Innovation in Every Byte.'”).
But DON’T press enter yet. We’ve got to add the language in step 2.
Step 2: Command the AI to Be the Devil’s Advocate
Add to your prompt some language telling the AI to be the “devil’s advocate” and explain why your plan will fail, or the problems with it, etc.
- “Act as a devil’s advocate and tell me all the reasons this plan will fail.”
- “Act as a devil’s advocate and tell me the counterarguments against this strategy?”
- “Act as a devil’s advocate and critique this idea from the most pessimistic viewpoint possible.”
Step 3: Analyze the Results
Take some time to review what the AI wrote. Do you still feel like your idea or belief is valid? Are there things you haven’t considered and should change?
Devil’s Advocate vs. Simulated Debate: Understanding the Difference
At this point, if you’re a good student and you’ve been following along, you might have a question. The last lesson covered the Simulated Debate prompting trick. At first glance, it seems awfully similar to the Devil’s Advocate technique.
But they’re actually very different.
The Devil’s Advocate pattern gives you a single, unified adversary.
One critic. One job: destroy your idea.
You present your position. The AI becomes your harshest critic.
It generates a comprehensive list of flaws, risks, and counterarguments. The output is direct: “Here are all the reasons you’re wrong.”
Think of it like stress-testing a bridge before anyone drives across it. You get concentrated criticism designed to expose every vulnerability as efficiently as possible.
The Simulated Debate pattern creates something different entirely.
It’s a conversation between multiple perspectives. Each persona you give the AI has valid concerns, evidence, and motivations.
You’re not watching one adversary attack your position. You’re watching intelligent people engage with each other.
They build arguments. They respond to counterpoints. They reveal the legitimate tensions in complex decisions.
The output isn’t just criticism. It’s a nuanced exploration of trade-offs.
Both sides might be partially right.
Here’s how to choose:
Use Devil’s Advocate when you need rapid, ruthless criticism of a specific idea. Before you commit. Before it’s too late.
Use Simulated Debate when you’re facing a genuinely difficult decision. No clear right answer. Competing priorities that all seem valid. When you need to understand the full landscape before choosing your path forward.
Advantages of The Devil’s Advocate Technique
- Challenges your assumptions before reality does: Most ideas feel solid until someone pokes them. This pattern does the poking early, when you can still fix things.
- Prevents groupthink: When everyone agrees, that’s often a warning sign, not validation. The Devil’s Advocate breaks the consensus and forces real examination.
- Exposes your blind spots: You can’t see what you’re not looking for. A hostile critic finds the risks, flaws, and perspectives you’ve unconsciously ignored.
- Makes your final position bulletproof: An argument that survives rigorous attack is an argument ready for the real world. You’ll walk into any debate, presentation, or decision with confidence because you’ve already faced the toughest objections.
- Builds intellectual humility: Hearing strong counterarguments reminds you that your viewpoint isn’t the only valid one. That awareness makes you sharper, more empathetic, and more persuasive.
When to Use The Devil’s Advocate Technique
- Before major decisions: Career changes. Financial commitments. Strategic pivots. If the stakes matter, stress-test your reasoning first.
- When preparing to persuade: Job interviews. Sales pitches. Negotiations. Grant proposals. Know every objection before you walk in the room.
- When everyone agrees with you: That’s the most dangerous moment. Unanimous support often means no one’s really thinking. Invite opposition deliberately.
- Before launching something public: Campaigns. Content. Policy announcements. Products. If it’s going to face scrutiny, give it scrutiny first.
- When you feel overconfident: That’s when you need this most. Confidence without scrutiny is arrogance waiting to be humbled.