A prompt is the text or data you give an AI model so it can produce an answer. A system prompt is a higher-priority instruction that tells the model how it should behave, what role it should take, and what rules it should follow.
In practice
For example, a user prompt might ask for a product description. A system prompt might tell the assistant to answer in a concise tone, avoid unsupported claims, and ask for clarification when required.
What to watch
System prompts guide behavior, but they are not magic locks. Apps still need permissions, validation, filtering, and human review for sensitive workflows.