Prompt
What you type to ask the AI to do something.
In everyday terms
Your question or instruction, plus any examples or documents you include. Products often add a hidden "system prompt" with their own rules.
For professionals
The full input sequence conditioning generation: system instructions, conversation history, retrieved context and the user turn.
Think of it like…
A brief you give a very capable new colleague who knows nothing about your situation.
You've already seen it
The chat box. Also the "custom instructions" in settings.
Myth vs reality
Myth: There's a magic phrase that unlocks better answers.
Reality: Clear context, goals and examples matter far more than tricks.
Quick check
Which prompt will most likely get a useful result?
- "Write email"
- "Write a polite 3-line email to a client delaying our meeting to Friday"
- "Email!!!"
- "Do your best"
Show answer
"Write a polite 3-line email to a client delaying our meeting to Friday": Specific context and constraints help.