System prompt
Level 2
Hidden instructions that set a model's role and rules before you type anything.
Term 8 of 8 in Language models
In plain language
Every AI product includes a system prompt the user never sees. It sets the persona, the boundaries and the format. Your message is added after it.
Think of it like this
The stage directions an actor reads before the audience arrives.
Why it matters
Much of what feels like a model's "personality" is really the system prompt of the product you happen to be using.
Next terms in Language models
- Large language modelA model trained on enormous amounts of text to predict what words come next.
- TokenA small chunk of text that a model reads and writes, usually part of a word.
- PromptThe instruction and information you give a model.
- Context windowThe maximum amount of text a model can consider at one time.