The Instruction Hierarchy: Training LLMs to Prioritize Privileged Instructions

AI Impact Summary

Large language models are vulnerable to prompt injection attacks, where malicious prompts can override intended behavior and lead to unintended outputs. This vulnerability stems from the models' reliance on the initial instructions provided during training, which can be manipulated. Addressing this requires robust techniques for training LLMs to prioritize and defend against these injected instructions, ensuring consistent and safe operation.