Learn AI · On the map · Agents · idea 25 of 44

System Prompt

The standing instructions a model is given before the conversation starts: who it is, what it may do, how to answer.

A requester brings a damaged lamp to a workshop. A software operator works at a cobalt context tray while an owner and a reviewer oversee the boundary.

Outline operator: software metaphor · ⏸ Review boundary

Read the concept diagram

See it drawn: Follow one request through a governed AI system Prompts vs hooks

In one line

The standing instructions a model is given before the conversation starts: who it is, what it may do, how to answer.

Picture it

The briefing a receptionist gets on day one, before any customer walks in.

Under the hood

A privileged message at the top of the context that sets role, constraints, tools and format. Strong guidance, not enforcement. Anything that must never happen needs a check in code.

Builds on

Prompting

Leads to

AI Agents

On a guided path

Path 3: What a language model does, stop 8 of 10.

Marking "I get this" is self-reported and stays in this browser. The same mark shows on the map.