Think of it as a world where technology has sprinted ahead, leaving humanity coughing in its dust. Megacorporations have more power than governments, the line between human and machine is blurry as hell, and most people are just trying to survive in the towering, oppressive shadows of "progress."

Here are the key visual elements I always try to keep in mind:

Lighting & Color

Technology & Augmentations

Now, let's put these keywords to work with some incredible prompt ideas.

20 Cyberpunk Character Prompts

Characters are the heart of any cyberpunk world. They're usually a mix of hardened survivor and tech-infused operative, defined by their augmentations, their gear, and that weary look in their eyes.

1. A female netrunner with glowing data-jacks at her temples, her face illuminated by a holographic computer screen.
2. A grizzled street samurai with a chrome katana, standing on a rooftop overlooking the neon city.
3. A bio-hacker in a cluttered workshop, surrounded by spare parts and glowing vials of liquid.
4. A corporate enforcer in sleek, black tactical gear and a helmet with a glowing red visor.
5. An android geisha with intricate glowing circuits visible beneath her synthetic skin.
6. A street food vendor with a bionic arm skillfully preparing noodles in a bustling, rainy alleyway market.
7. A cynical detective in a worn trench coat, his cybernetic eye scanning a crime scene.
8. A rebellious punk with a neon-colored mohawk and augmented reality glasses.
9. A black market doctor operating a makeshift cybernetics clinic in a dimly lit basement.
10. A cloaked information broker meeting a client in the shadows, their face obscured by a glitching mask.
11. An elite pilot for a flying vehicle, wearing a high-tech helmet and flight suit.
12. A child scavenger navigating the undercity, using a head-mounted flashlight to find discarded tech.
13. A holographic pop idol performing on a massive public screen, her form glitching slightly.
14. A weary data courier clutching a glowing data chip, looking over his shoulder nervously.
15. A heavily augmented bodyguard with massive metal arms, standing guard outside a corporate skyscraper.
16. An AI who has taken over a robotic body, looking at its new hands with a sense of wonder.
17. A scavenger wearing a gas mask and patchwork gear, exploring the toxic lower levels of the city.
18. A corporate CEO in a pristine suit, looking down on the city from a sterile, minimalist office high above.
19. A monk from a techno-sect, meditating amidst a tangle of wires and old servers.
20. A pair of lovers, one human and one android, embracing on a balcony against a backdrop of flying cars.

20 Cyberpunk Cityscape & Environment Prompts

The city is a character in itself—a sprawling, breathing, and often malevolent entity. These prompts focus on capturing its massive scale, its mood, and its tiny details.

1. A wide-angle shot of a dense cyberpunk megalopolis at night during a heavy downpour.
2. A ground-level view of a crowded back alley market, filled with neon signs in Japanese Kanji and street food stalls.
3. The view from the cockpit of a flying car, looking down at light-trails from traffic over the city.
4. A massive, pyramid-like corporate headquarters (a "Ziggurat") dominating the city skyline.
5. A quiet, hidden noodle bar tucked away in a grimy, narrow alley, with steam rising into the rainy night.
6. The top of a skyscraper, antennas and satellite dishes piercing the smoggy, polluted clouds.
7. A sprawling network of rooftop slums and makeshift bridges connecting buildings.
8. The interior of a packed, multi-level nightclub with holographic dancers and neon lights.
9. An abandoned subway station, repurposed as a hideout for outcasts and rebels.
10. A massive, glowing holographic advertisement glitching and flickering between different products.
11. The "undercity," a dark, polluted level beneath the main city, illuminated by sparse, flickering lights.
12. A high-speed maglev train weaving between towering skyscrapers.
13. A serene, minimalist zen garden on the rooftop of a corporate building, contrasting with the chaos below.
14. The entrance to an underground data haven, heavily guarded and hidden behind a secret door.
15. A vast, automated factory with robotic arms working endlessly under harsh industrial lighting.
16. A long, straight highway for flying vehicles, stretching into the horizon of the urban sprawl.
17. A rain-slicked landing pad on a skyscraper, with a futuristic VTOL vehicle waiting.
18. The city's digital network visualized as a glowing, abstract cyberspace realm.
19. A colossal statue of a forgotten hero or corporate founder, now covered in graffiti and grime.
20. A street-level view looking straight up, capturing the immense scale and claustrophobia of the towering buildings.

10 Cyberpunk Vehicle & Tech Prompts

Technology is the pulsing core of the genre. These prompts are all about the machines, gadgets, and cybernetics that make this world tick.

1. A heavily modified and customized hoverbike parked in a dark alley, covered in stickers and custom parts.
2. A sleek, black corporate armored transport vehicle flying through a canyon of skyscrapers.
3. A swarm of small delivery drones buzzing through the city like insects.
4. A detailed close-up of a complex cybernetic arm, showing the pistons, wires, and synthetic muscle fibers.
5. A cluttered workbench covered in disassembled electronics, soldering tools, and a glowing data screen.
6. An intimidating security mech-walker patrolling the perimeter of a corporate complex.
7. A personal flying vehicle, like a "Spinner," taking off from a rain-swept street.
8. A close-up portrait shot of a character's face, focusing on a glowing, intricate cybernetic eye.
9. A high-tech sniper rifle with a holographic scope, resting on a ledge overlooking the city.
10. A "ghost deck" or cyberdeck used for hacking, with wires connecting directly to the user's neural interface.

Putting It All Together: Copy-and-Paste Prompts

Alright, theory's great, but let's see it in action. Here are a few fully-formed prompts you can copy directly into Midjourney, DALL-E 3, or Stable Diffusion to get some incredible results right away.

photorealistic cinematic still of a grizzled cyberpunk detective in a worn trench coat, standing on a rainy street corner, his face partially illuminated by a flickering holographic kanji sign, cybernetic eye glowing softly, moody, atmospheric, volumetric lighting, in the style of Blade Runner, 8k --ar 2:3

a sprawling cyberpunk megalopolis at night, dense skyscrapers reaching into a smoggy sky, flying vehicles leaving light trails, massive holographic advertisements for mega-corporations, rain-slicked streets reflecting the neon glow, wide angle shot, style of Blade Runner 2049, epic scale, hyper-detailed --ar 16:9

ground-level view of a bustling cyberpunk street market in a narrow alleyway, steam rising from food stalls, crowded with people, glowing neon signs in chinese characters, wires and cables hanging overhead, gritty, detailed, cinematic photo --ar 3:2

close-up portrait of a female netrunner, neon light reflecting in her eyes, intricate cybernetic implants and glowing data-ports on her temples, focused expression, background is a cascade of holographic data code, dark and moody, high-contrast lighting --ar 4:5

a customized cyberpunk hoverbike parked in a grimy, graffiti-covered alley, rain-slicked pavement reflecting neon signs, engine glowing with a soft blue light, detailed mechanical parts, atmospheric, concept art style --ar 16:9

Pro Tips for God-Tier Cyberpunk Art 💡

Creating amazing AI art is a process of trial and error. Here are a few things I've learned along the way that can really level up your cyberpunk images.