Prompting & Interaction

Zero-Shot Prompting

Asking an AI to perform a task with no examples provided.

Definition

Zero-shot prompting means asking the model to perform a task purely from the instruction, without providing any worked examples. For instance, 'Classify this customer email as a complaint, enquiry, or compliment' — with no examples of how to classify. Modern large models are surprisingly capable at zero-shot tasks because their pre-training has exposed them to vast numbers of similar problems. However, performance can be inconsistent for complex or unusual tasks.

Related Terms

Few-Shot Prompting

Giving an AI a small number of examples before asking it to perform a similar task.

One-Shot Prompting

Giving a single example before asking the AI to perform a task.

Prompt Engineering

The practice of crafting inputs to get better outputs from AI models.

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Disclaimer

This definition is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It represents a general explanation of a technical concept and does not constitute professional, technical, or investment advice. Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving field; terminology, techniques, and capabilities change frequently. Coaley Peak Ltd makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information provided. Nothing on this page should be relied upon as the sole basis for commercial, technical, legal, or investment decisions without independent professional advice.

Document reference: ISO_webpage_knowledge-base_glossary_v1

Last modified: 29 March 2026

Knowledge Base·Prompting & Interaction·Zero-Shot Prompting