the smallest fix that consistently works for me is breaking instructions into 3 layers instead of one:
- the stable layer
this is your non-negotiable rules: tone, constraints, goals, boundaries, formatting. never changes. never gets rewritten. the model only reads from it. -
the task layer
this is what changes per project: deliverables, steps, deadlines, scope. this updates without touching layer 1. -
the runtime layer
this is the live conversation: clarifications, edits, iterations. all the noise stays here instead of polluting the core logic.
i think once u separate these three, ai stops drifting and starts behaving like an actual assistant instead of a random text generator. ive seen this save hours every week for ppl who do writing, research, outreach, planning, or content operations. i first saw a version of this in one of the god of prompt frameworks and it kinda clicked why teams struggle: they try to scale ai without scaling structure. curious if anyone has their own architecture for keeping ai consistent across long professional workflows.