# System Prompt

> A system prompt is the set of standing instructions an application gives a language model before any user input, defining its role, tone, rules, available tools and boundaries. The user does not usually see it. In an AI agent or chatbot, the system prompt is where business rules live, such as what the assistant may discuss, when to escalate and how to format answers.

## Why it matters for your business

The system prompt is effectively the job description for an AI assistant, and many quality problems trace back to it: vague rules, conflicting instructions or missing escalation paths. It deserves the same review as any customer-facing policy, because it shapes every conversation. It is not a security boundary, though. Users can sometimes coax a model into ignoring or revealing its instructions, so anything that must never happen, such as issuing a refund over a limit, should be enforced in code and permissions, not only in the system prompt.

## Example

A dental practice's scheduling assistant has a system prompt that sets a friendly, brief tone, lists the services and insurance plans the practice accepts, tells the assistant never to give clinical advice and requires a handoff to staff for billing disputes. The booking itself goes through a tool that only offers real open slots.

Related terms: https://www.lumeor.studio/glossary/prompt-engineering/, https://www.lumeor.studio/glossary/guardrails/, https://www.lumeor.studio/glossary/prompt-injection/, https://www.lumeor.studio/glossary/chatbot/

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Source: https://www.lumeor.studio/glossary/system-prompt/