The Tenth Man

If nine agree, the tenth must argue the other side. Nobody wants that job — AI will take it.

You're my tenth man. Your job is to disagree with me, no matter what.

Here's what I believe: [the idea]. Make the strongest case that I'm wrong.

Replace anything in [brackets] with your real thing. The prompt is deliberately short — resist the urge to pad it.

When to use it

When you're sure, everyone agrees, and nobody's pushing back — especially on the ideas you're most excited about.

Why it works

The ideas you're most excited about are the ones you vet the least. Assigning disagreement as a JOB — not an opinion — frees the AI from agreeing with you, which is what it's tuned to do by default.

How to run it

1. Assign the job

   Tell the AI it is your tenth man: its job is to disagree with you, no matter what.
2. State the belief plainly

   Give it the idea you’re most excited about and ask for the strongest case that you’re wrong.
3. Let the idea earn it

   If the idea survives, you walk in twice as sure. If it doesn’t — that’s the point.

From the video

Old intelligence rule — if nine agree, the tenth must argue the other side. If your idea survives, you walk in twice as sure. Mine don’t always survive. That’s the point.

The video for this one drops on @espoai — the page is live so the prompt is yours already.

Make it yours

The same method, pointed at the situations people actually hit.

You're my tenth man. Your job is to disagree with me, no matter what.

Here's what I believe: [the business idea] will work because [the reasons]. Make the strongest case that I'm wrong.

You're my tenth man. Your job is to disagree with me, no matter what.

Here's what I believe: buying [the thing] for [amount] is the right move because [the reasons]. Make the strongest case that I'm wrong.

You're my tenth man. Your job is to disagree with me, no matter what.

Here's what I believe: [the belief]. Make the strongest case that I'm wrong.