> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.toucanai.cloud/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.toucanai.cloud/govern/ai-control-and-optimization/how-to/set-ai-instructions.md).

# Set AI instructions

{% hint style="info" %}
**Target Audience**: Organization admins and owners configuring AI for their team.
{% endhint %}

### TL;DR

AI instructions let you define how the assistant behaves across your whole organization — what format to use, what to avoid, and any guardrails. These instructions apply to every user by default, but can be overridden per user when generating a token.

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### When to use this

Use this page when you want the assistant to follow consistent rules: always respond in a specific language, avoid mentioning certain topics, structure answers in a particular format, or stay within a defined scope.

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### Who can change this

Changing AI instructions requires the **organization update** permission, which **member**, **admin**, and **owner** roles have. Users with the **explorer** role cannot change it.

This setting is available on plans that include AI customization. If the section is locked, contact your account manager.

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### How to set AI instructions

1. Open **Settings** and select **AI behavior** in the left sidebar.
2. In the **AI instructions** card, type your instructions in the text field.
3. Click **Save**. A confirmation ("Context updated") appears once the change is applied.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Examples of useful instructions**

* `Always respond in bullet points.`
* `Never mention competitor products.`
* `Include the data source in every answer.`
* `Always respond in French, regardless of the language of the question.`
  {% endhint %}

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### Good to know

* **User-level override**: instructions set here apply to all users by default. You can override them for a specific user by passing a custom system prompt when generating that user's token. See [Generate a token](/embed/authentication/how-to/authentication-and-tokens.md).
* **Character limit**: AI instructions are capped at 3,000 characters.
* **Scope**: instructions apply to the AI assistant across all contexts — the main chat, dashboard editor, and embedded experiences.

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### Related pages

* [Set company context](/govern/ai-control-and-optimization/how-to/set-company-context.md)
* [Set tone of voice](/govern/ai-control-and-optimization/how-to/set-tone-of-voice.md)
* [Define metric definitions](/govern/ai-control-and-optimization/how-to/define-metric-definitions.md)
* [Choose your AI provider and model](/govern/ai-control-and-optimization/select-your-ai-provider.md)