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AI output keeps changing every time

Situation

  • You run the same task multiple times
  • Each output is different in structure or content
  • None of the versions feels clearly correct
  • You try to stabilize results by adjusting prompts
  • The variation feels confusing rather than helpful

This situation appears when the task itself is unstable.

Verdict

VERDICT: STOP

Trying to stabilize output through prompting will not work. The variation reflects unclear task definition.

Why this verdict

  • The AI is responding correctly to ambiguous goals
  • Prompt tweaks cannot replace task clarity
  • Output variation mirrors input uncertainty

Consistency requires a fixed objective.

What happens if you continue

  • You will chase stability through increasingly complex prompts
  • Outputs will differ without converging
  • Confidence in the process will decline

Variation without criteria feels like randomness.

A safer next step

Stop adjusting prompts.

Stabilize the task first: - Define exactly what must remain consistent - Decide what variation is acceptable - Resume prompting only after criteria are fixed

Clear constraints reduce unwanted variation.