AI at work
Prompt and system prompt
A prompt is what you type to an AI. A system prompt is the standing instruction set behind the scenes that tells an assistant who it is, what it knows, what tone to use and what not to do, before any user says a word.
Why it matters for your business
Most "the AI got it wrong" problems are prompt problems. A well written system prompt is the difference between a generic chatbot and one that sounds like your front desk and knows your policies. It is your business rules in plain English.
In practice
A hotel's assistant has a system prompt that includes check-in times, the pet policy, the parking situation and an instruction to never quote rates, only link to the booking page.
Related terms
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