Glossary

Prompt

The instructions you send to an AI model to get a response.

Definition

A prompt is the input that drives an AI model's output. It can be a question, a passage of text to summarize, a system instruction that frames the conversation, or a long structured document. The clearer and more specific the prompt, the more useful the response.

Prompt engineering is the practice of designing prompts that produce reliable results. Good prompts state the role you want the model to play, the audience and tone, the format of the output, and any constraints (length, sources to use, things to avoid).

Example

Instead of 'write about VPNs', a better prompt is: 'Write 200 words for a non-technical reader explaining what a VPN does, in three short paragraphs, with one concrete example.' The output is dramatically better.

Frequently asked questions

Is what I type as a prompt private?

Depends on the provider. Many log prompts; some offer zero-retention modes for sensitive use.

Why does the same prompt give different answers?

Most models sample probabilistically. Setting temperature to 0 (where supported) reduces variation.