Prompt
The text, media, files, or structured messages sent to a model to guide its response.
Plain English
It is what you ask or show the AI before it answers.
Example
A prompt can include a question, a screenshot, a PDF excerpt, and instructions about the desired format.
Why it matters
Good prompts make simple AI workflows clearer, but production systems also need context, tools, and evals.
Mentioned in
Fable 5, Export Controls, and GLM 5.2Jul 16, 2026
Net Out of a Book: Tiny HabitsOct 9, 2022