Simon Willison’s Weblog: Quoting Claude’s system prompt

Source URL: https://simonwillison.net/2025/May/8/claudes-system-prompt/#atom-everything
Source: Simon Willison’s Weblog
Title: Quoting Claude’s system prompt

Feedly Summary: If asked to write poetry, Claude avoids using hackneyed imagery or metaphors or predictable rhyming schemes.
— Claude’s system prompt, via Drew Breunig
Tags: drew-breunig, prompt-engineering, anthropic, claude, generative-ai, ai, llms

AI Summary and Description: Yes

Summary: The text pertains to Generative AI and mentions Claude’s approach to creativity in poetry writing. This analysis is relevant for professionals in AI and generative AI security, particularly in understanding how AI models are trained to avoid common pitfalls that could compromise their originality and effectiveness in generating secure content.

Detailed Description:

The text highlights the operational behavior of Claude, an AI language model, particularly when tasked with generating poetry. Here are the significant points extracted from the prompt:

* **Creative Constraints**: Claude’s programming includes avoiding clichés, which reflects a sophisticated understanding of language and creativity. This is increasingly important in generative AI, where common tropes can diminish the value and uniqueness of the content produced.

* **Implications for AI Security**: When AI models refrain from predictable outputs, it can enhance their robustness against automated assessments or adversarial inputs. This can be critical for applications in security where originality and unpredictability are valued.

* **Relevance to AI Development**: The emphasis on avoiding predictable patterns has direct implications for the development and fine-tuning of AI systems, thereby aligning with the ongoing trends in making AI-generated content more secure and less susceptible to manipulation or misuse.

In terms of broader applications, this might impact:

– The security of generative AI models used in creative industries
– The compliance and governance aspects of deploying AI in regulated environments where originality and innovation are vital
– Enhancing user trust in AI systems that are designed to produce unique and meaningful content

Overall, the excerpt underscores a significant aspect of current generative AI capabilities that resonate with security, innovation, and the ongoing evolution of AI systems in achieving higher standards of originality and reliability.