The instruction or question a user gives an AI model, which shapes the answer it generates.
ID
SS-DF-104
Confidence
Established · 78
Evidence
Established
Updated
2026-07-08
Definition
The instruction or question a user gives an AI model, which shapes the answer it generates.
A prompt is the input text that steers a model's response, from a simple question to a detailed brief with context and constraints. In AI search, the prompt determines which queries the engine expands into and which sources it retrieves, so the way people phrase their needs directly affects whether your brand appears. Understanding the common prompts in your market - the real questions buyers ask - is the starting point for GEO, because you are optimising to be the answer to those prompts.