Prompting
Prompt sensitivity
How much an AI's reply or behavior changes when the wording of a request changes.
Example
Small wording changes produce different classifications or answers.
Why people use it
It shows how easily a change in wording can affect the result.
What you'll hear
“A small rewrite changed the answer.”
What this means for you
Test alternate phrasings and representative users' requests.
Can you control it?
No
No direct control. This describes a wider issue, concept or result rather than something you can simply switch on or off in a tool.
Common questions
- Does one successful prompt establish reliable performance?
- No. A system may be fragile to reasonable variations.
- Can a harmless formatting change matter?
- Yes. Lists, punctuation or the order of instructions can sometimes alter the response.
- Does sensitivity mean every difference is an error?
- No. Some wording changes legitimately alter what the user is asking.