Event Moment: Sparkhound’s Matt Meyer on 3 Types of Prompts for RAG Models

In this moment, excerpted from the session “RAG Models: How to Design and Build Usable Generative AI Bots,” Matt Meyer, Director – Technology Evangelist, Sparkhound, defines the three types of input prompts required to build and use RAG models.

Key Takeaways

• 3 types of prompts: Meyer explains that the three types of input prompts for RAG models include system prompts that define how the model should behave, user prompts that contain the user’s request, and augmented prompts that enhance or guide the interaction further.
• Augmented prompts: Meyer clarifies that augmented prompts involve modifying either the system or user input to better align with the user’s intent, often using the generative model itself to rewrite queries for improved information retrieval rather than submitting raw user prompts directly.
• User prompts: Users often want detailed breakdowns of transcripts rather than brief summaries, which requires tailoring the user prompt based on their data needs and setting the system prompt to define tone and personality for the AI’s response.