Prompt Engineering as a Control Illusion

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Authors: Paweł Bański, Sergiusz Sobieski
Cited by: 0

Abstract

This article explains why prompt engineering cannot function as a control mechanism in AI systems. Prompts influence model behavior semantically but do not enforce decision boundaries or execution authority. It argues that reliable AI requires architectural separation between generation and control, where responsibility, escalation, and stop conditions are enforced by design rather than inferred through language.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ethics and Social Impacts of AI Artificial Intelligence Applications Safety Systems Engineering in Autonomy

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
11 January 2026