How to create a presentation with ChatGPT — where to start?
You have a presentation to prepare, and the deadline is approaching fast. You open ChatGPT hoping that artificial intelligence will solve the problem for you — generate the content, design the slides, and deliver a finished file. You type "make me a presentation about marketing" and... you get a wall of text that cannot be directly turned into slides.
This is a scenario thousands of people experience every day. The question how to create a presentation with ChatGPT is becoming increasingly popular because the tool is free, easily accessible, and genuinely good at generating text. The problem is that ChatGPT is not a presentation tool — it is a text generation tool. The difference is fundamental.
As a result, many users waste hours on an inefficient workflow: they generate text in ChatGPT, then manually copy it into PowerPoint, design slides from scratch, pick colors and fonts — and in the end still are not satisfied with the result. The entire process can take even longer than creating a presentation traditionally without AI.
This article shows you how to actually use ChatGPT for presentations — step by step, with specific prompts and without unnecessary idealization. You will learn what ChatGPT does well, where it falls short, and how to avoid the most common mistakes. At the end, you will also discover an alternative approach that eliminates this tool's biggest limitations.
What is ChatGPT and what can it do for presentations
ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) created by OpenAI. Its main function is generating text based on a given prompt — a question, instruction, or description. The model was trained on enormous text datasets and can write articles, code, emails, scripts, and presentation content.
The key is understanding what ChatGPT actually generates in the context of presentations:
- Text — slide titles, bullet points, descriptions, paragraphs, speaker notes.
- Structures — presentation outlines, section breakdowns, logical argument sequences.
- Supporting content — arguments, examples, analogies, quotes (require verification!).
- Scripts — text to be spoken during the presentation, speaker notes.
What ChatGPT does not generate:
- PPTX files or any presentation formats.
- Slide design — layout, colors, fonts, backgrounds.
- Charts, infographics, or data visualizations.
- Images for slides (unless you use DALL-E in ChatGPT Plus).
In other words, ChatGPT is an excellent ghostwriter — it writes the content but does not know how that content should look on a slide. It does not know slide dimensions, does not understand visual hierarchy, and cannot judge whether text will fit a given layout. This is worth keeping in mind before you start the process of creating a presentation with its help.
When ChatGPT is useful for presentations
Despite its visual limitations, ChatGPT has real applications in the presentation preparation process. Here are situations where it is worth reaching for:
Brainstorming and finding ideas. You have a topic but do not know where to start? ChatGPT can suggest several structure variations, different angles on the topic, and non-obvious arguments. You can ask for three different outlines — chronological, problem-solution, and storytelling — and choose the best one.
Creating outlines and plans. Before you open PowerPoint, you need a plan. ChatGPT excels at generating a logical presentation structure: section breakdown, argument order, time proportions between parts. This is the foundation without which no presentation will be cohesive.
Writing speaker notes. Speaker notes are pure text — they do not require design or slide formatting. ChatGPT can write full scripts for each slide, considering tone, pace, and emphasis. This is a huge time saver, especially if you do not feel confident as a speaker.
Generating slide content. Titles, bullet points, descriptions — ChatGPT will write them quickly and in multiple variants. The key is precisely specifying the format in your prompt (more on that below) so you receive text ready to transfer onto a slide rather than paragraphs of prose.
Preparing for audience questions. Ask ChatGPT for a list of the most common questions about your topic and prepare brief answers. This is invaluable for academic, sales, and conference presentations.
Translation and adaptation. Do you have a presentation ready in one language and need a version in another? ChatGPT will translate and adapt the content, preserving the appropriate tone and cultural context.
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How to create a presentation with ChatGPT step by step
Let us get to the practical part. Below you will find a detailed process for creating a presentation with ChatGPT — from the first prompt to the finished file. The process works, but — as you will see — it requires a lot of manual work at the design stage.
Step 1: Generate an outline
Start with a prompt that gives ChatGPT full context. The more information you provide, the better the result. Here is a proven template:
"Create an outline for a presentation on [TOPIC] for [AUDIENCE]. The presentation should last [TIME] minutes and contain [NUMBER] slides. Goal: [WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE]. Include a title slide, an agenda, and a summary slide."
For example: "Create an outline for a presentation on CRM system implementation for sales managers in a company of 50-200 employees. The presentation should last 15 minutes and contain 12 slides. Goal: convince the board to purchase a specific solution. Include a title slide, an agenda, and a next steps slide."
ChatGPT will return a list of slides with titles and brief content descriptions. Review the outline critically — remove unnecessary sections, add missing ones, change the order if logic requires it. Do not accept the first proposal without reflection.
Pro tip: Ask for 2-3 outline variants with different approaches and choose the best one. This is one of the key elements when you want to know how to create a presentation with ChatGPT well, not just quickly.
Step 2: Ask for slide content
With the approved outline, ask ChatGPT to write the content for each slide. The key is specifying the format — without this, you will get paragraphs of prose instead of concise bullet points:
"Based on the outline above, write the content for all 12 slides. For each slide, provide: a title (max 8 words), 3-5 bullet points (max 12 words each), and a speaker note (2-3 sentences). Format as a numbered list."
If the result does not meet your expectations, iterate. Ask for revisions:
- "The bullet points are too long — shorten to max 8 words."
- "Add specific numbers instead of vague statements."
- "Change the tone to be more direct and less corporate."
- "Slide 5 sounds too generic — add a real-world example."
You usually need 2-3 rounds of revisions before the content is at the right level. It is also worth assigning ChatGPT an expert role: "You are an experienced HR industry consultant. Write slide content in a concise, data-driven style."
Step 3: Copy the content to PowerPoint
Now comes the most tedious part of the process. Open PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Canva and manually transfer the content from ChatGPT onto slides:
- Copy the title of the first slide and paste it into the title field in PowerPoint.
- Copy the bullet points and paste them into the content field.
- Copy the speaker note and paste it into the notes section.
- Repeat for each of the 12-15 slides.
This process typically takes 20-40 minutes and is monotonous. It is pure copy-paste, multiplied by the number of slides. Many users give up at this stage and return to traditional presentation creation because the frustration exceeds the time saved during the text generation phase.
Step 4: Design the slides manually
You have text on the slides, but the presentation still looks like a white document with bullet points. Now you need to design the visual layer:
- Choose or create a template with a color palette and fonts.
- Establish the element layout on each slide.
- Add images, icons, or photos that support the content.
- Create charts and data visualizations if the presentation requires them.
- Ensure visual consistency — the same fonts, colors, and spacing on every slide.
- Adjust text size so it fits the layout without overcrowding.
This stage takes one to three hours — depending on your design skills and audience expectations. If you have no design experience, the final result may look amateurish despite good content from ChatGPT. This is the main bottleneck of the entire process that few people mention when discussing creating presentations with ChatGPT.
Read more about slide design in the article on presentation colors and fonts.
Common mistakes when creating presentations with ChatGPT
Knowing how to create a presentation with ChatGPT, it is also worth knowing what to avoid. Here are the mistakes most users make:
- An overly general prompt. "Make me a presentation about marketing" is a recipe for a generic, worthless result. ChatGPT needs context: who is the audience, what is the goal, how much time do you have, what tone do you prefer. The more specific the prompt, the better the result.
- Not specifying the output format. Without instructions about the format (title + bullet points + notes), ChatGPT will write paragraphs of prose. Prose on a slide is one of the worst presentation sins — the audience reads instead of listening, and the presenter loses their purpose.
- Too much text on a slide. Even if you ask for bullet points, ChatGPT tends to write too many that are too long. Always edit: one slide = one idea, max 4-5 short bullet points. The rest should go in speaker notes.
- Not checking facts. ChatGPT hallucinates — it fabricates statistics, quotes, company names, and dates. Every number, fact, and quote generated by AI must be verified against a reliable source. Putting a false statistic on a slide is a way to lose credibility in seconds.
- Generic, "ChatGPT-style" tone. Phrases like "in today's rapidly changing world" or "it is crucial to..." are telltale signs of AI-generated text. Edit the content in your own voice, add your own examples, and use expressions typical of your industry.
- Ignoring the visual layer. The best ChatGPT text on a white background in default Arial font looks unprofessional. Presentation design is not decoration — it is a communication tool. Layout, colors, and typography affect how the audience understands and remembers content.
- No iteration. Accepting ChatGPT's first response is a mistake. A language model delivers its best results after 2-3 rounds of revisions. Ask for shorter bullet points, more specific examples, a different tone — refine until the content is truly yours.
Ready-made ChatGPT prompt templates
Below you will find proven prompts that you can copy and customize for your topic. Each is designed for a specific type of presentation.
Prompt for a business presentation (report, project summary):
"Create the content for a 10-slide presentation summarizing the results of [PROJECT NAME] for the company board. Structure: title slide, project goals, scope of work, key results (3 slides with numerical data), challenges and how we solved them, conclusions, future recommendations, next steps. Each slide: title (max 8 words) + 3-4 bullet points (max 10 words each) + speaker note (2 sentences). Tone: professional, concise, fact-based."
Prompt for an educational presentation (school, university, training):
"Prepare the content for a 12-slide educational presentation on [TOPIC] for [FIELD/LEVEL] students. Start with context and definitions, present 3-4 key concepts with real-life examples, add a case study slide, and finish with a summary and discussion questions. Each slide: title + 3-5 bullet points + speaker note. Tone: accessible, engaging, avoiding academic jargon."
Prompt for a pitch deck (for investors):
"Write the content for a pitch deck (10 slides) for a startup called [NAME] operating in the [INDUSTRY] sector. Product description: [WHAT IT DOES]. Stage: [PRE-SEED/SEED]. Use the classic structure: problem, solution, market size (TAM/SAM/SOM), product and demo, business model, traction/achievements, team, financial projections, ask (how much we need and what for). Each slide: title + 3-5 bullet points. Tone: confident but credible — backed by data."
Prompt for a sales presentation:
"Create the content for an 8-slide sales presentation for [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Audience: [WHO — position, industry, company size]. Main benefit: [WHAT]. Use the structure: customer problem, our solution, how it works, benefits (with numbers), case study, pricing, FAQ, CTA. Tone: direct, focused on customer benefits, no marketing cliches."
Prompt for improving existing slide content:
"Here is the content of my slide: [PASTE CONTENT]. The slide is overloaded. Cut the text by 50% while preserving the key message. Replace full sentences with concise phrases (max 8 words each). Suggest a better slide title that communicates the takeaway, not the topic."
These prompts deliver solid results, but remember — this is only the beginning of the process. The generated text still needs to be manually transferred to slides and visually designed. If you are looking for a way to create a presentation with ChatGPT faster, read on.
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How to speed up your work — dedicated AI tools
After going through the process above, you can see ChatGPT's main limitation: it generates text, but it does not generate presentations. Between "I have the content" and "I have a finished presentation" there is a gap — filled with hours of manual work in PowerPoint.
This limitation is solved by dedicated AI presentation tools. Unlike ChatGPT, these tools:
- Generate complete slides — with text, layout, colors, and fonts.
- Create cohesive design — a professional visual layer without graphic design skills.
- Understand slide context — they know how much text fits on a slide and how to arrange elements.
- Export to PPTX — a ready file for further editing in PowerPoint or Google Slides.
- Visualize data — generate charts directly on slides.
One such tool is Prezentacje AI — a generator that creates ready-made presentations based on a topic description. Instead of a multi-step copy-paste process between ChatGPT and PowerPoint, you describe the topic in one place and get a complete presentation with design. Learn more about how it works in the article how to create a presentation with AI.
How to use Prezentacje AI instead of ChatGPT
Let us compare both workflows using a concrete example: creating a 12-slide presentation on implementing a new CRM system.
Workflow with ChatGPT (total ~2-3 hours):
- Writing a prompt with context and an outline (5 min).
- Iterating on the outline — 2-3 revisions (10 min).
- Generating slide content in ChatGPT (5 min).
- Content revisions — tone, length, specifics (15 min).
- Opening PowerPoint, choosing a template (5 min).
- Manually copying content onto 12 slides (30 min).
- Formatting — fonts, colors, positioning (30 min).
- Adding images, icons, charts (20 min).
- Final design and consistency adjustments (15 min).
Workflow with Prezentacje AI (total ~25 minutes):
- Describing the topic and context in the chat field (3 min).
- AI generates a complete presentation with design (1 min).
- Reviewing and editing content directly on slides (15 min).
- Optional color and style adjustments (3 min).
- Export to PPTX (1 min).
The difference is fivefold. More importantly, in Prezentacje AI the entire process takes place in one location. You do not need to jump between ChatGPT and PowerPoint, you do not copy text manually, and you do not search for templates or graphics. The AI knows how to arrange content on a slide, which colors match the topic, and how much text fits without overcrowding.
Of course, even with an AI generator, it is worth knowing the principles of a good presentation — to evaluate the result, make accurate revisions, and add your personal touch. The tool will not replace your subject matter expertise, but it eliminates hours of manual work on design and formatting. If you have ever looked for a faster and more efficient way to create presentations with AI — a dedicated generator is the answer.
Frequently asked questions
Can ChatGPT generate a ready-made PowerPoint presentation?
No. ChatGPT is a language model and only generates text. It does not create PPTX files, design slides, or choose colors and fonts. You need to manually transfer the text generated by ChatGPT to PowerPoint, Google Slides, or another presentation tool, and then design the visual layer yourself.
What ChatGPT prompt produces the best results for creating presentations?
The best results come from a prompt containing five elements: the presentation topic, a description of the audience (who will be listening), the goal (what you want to achieve), the expected number of slides, and the output format (e.g., title + 3-5 bullet points per slide + speaker notes). The more context you provide, the more tailored the response will be.
How long does it take to create a presentation with ChatGPT?
Generating the content in ChatGPT itself takes just a few minutes, but fully preparing the presentation — including copying text to PowerPoint, designing slides, selecting graphics, and formatting — typically takes 2-3 hours. By comparison, dedicated AI tools such as Prezentacje AI generate a complete presentation with design in about 25 minutes.
Is a presentation made with ChatGPT suitable for a thesis defense?
ChatGPT can help write the content for a thesis defense presentation, but it requires careful factual verification. The model may generate outdated data or incorrect information. Always check AI-generated content against primary sources. Remember that the committee evaluates both the substance and the visual layer — which you must create yourself. Read more about this topic in the article on thesis defense presentations.
What are the alternatives to ChatGPT for creating AI presentations?
There are dedicated AI presentation generators on the market that, unlike ChatGPT, create complete slides with design rather than just text. Examples include Prezentacje AI (a tool that generates ready-made PPTX presentations), Gamma, Beautiful.ai, and Tome. Each of these solves ChatGPT's main limitation — the lack of a visual layer. You can find a tool overview in the article on best AI presentation tools.
Is the free version of ChatGPT sufficient for presentations?
Yes, the free version of ChatGPT is sufficient for generating outlines and slide content. The paid version (GPT-4) produces more polished and creative responses, handles longer texts better, and understands context more accurately. Regardless of the version, you still need to design the slides yourself in a separate tool.
How do you check whether ChatGPT content contains errors?
Always verify facts, statistics, and dates generated by ChatGPT by comparing them with official sources. Pay special attention to numerical data, quotes, and names — ChatGPT can fabricate them (so-called AI hallucinations). Ask someone to review the content with fresh eyes and check whether the text sounds natural rather than AI-generated.
Summary
ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating content — and it can genuinely help with creating presentations. It can write an outline, slide content, speaker notes, and presentation scripts. If you need help with the text, it is worth reaching for.
At the same time, it is worth realistically assessing its limitations. Knowing how to create a presentation with ChatGPT, you also know that the text alone is just the beginning. Ahead of you are still hours of copying content to PowerPoint, designing the visuals, and formatting slides. The process works, but it is far from efficient.
If you value your time and want a professional result, consider dedicated AI tools such as Prezentacje AI, which generate complete presentations with design in a single step — without manual copying and without graphic design skills.
Want to dive deeper? Read our related articles: how to create a presentation with AI, best AI presentation tools, and free AI presentation generator.