Amplify: Prompt and Assistant Sidebar

Assistants, Prompt Templates, & Custom Instructions

In this article, we briefly review the icons and options for the prompt and assistant sidebar in Amplify. Additional instructions are linked for how to create prompt templates, custom instructions, and AI Assistants.

The Prompt and Assistant sidebar in Amplify allows you to manage and organize AI prompts, assistants, and custom instructions.

Key Features

• Close Sidebar: Collapse the sidebar to maximize workspace.
• Create New Assistant: Add a pre-configured AI assistant to your chats.
• Create New Folder: Organize prompts into custom folders.
• Create New Prompt Template: Define a reusable prompt for consistency.
• Search Prompts: Quickly find saved prompts.
• Prompt Settings: Access additional options for managing your prompts.
• List of Prompts: View and organize available prompts, including:
  • Assistants – Pre-configured AI assistants.
  • Amplify Helpers – System-provided tools for specific tasks.
  • Custom Instructions – User-defined AI behavior settings.

Overview

In Amplify, AI interactions are structured using prompts, custom instructions, and assistants, each serving a different role in guiding responses and behavior.

Prompts

A prompt is an input or request given to the AI to generate a response. Prompts can be simple questions or structured templates for consistency in responses.

• Example: "Summarize this document in three bullet points."

A prompt template is a useful prompt you can save for reuse, and you can add a changeable variable as part of the structure.

• For more information on how to create a prompt template, visit our Amplify: Create a Prompt Template page.

Custom Instructions

Custom instructions define AI behavior, shaping how it responds across different interactions. These settings influence tone, response style, and output preferences.

• For more information on how to create custom instructions, visit out Amplify: Create Custom Instructions page.

Assistants

An assistant is a pre-configured AI model tailored for specific tasks or workflows. Assistants can incorporate prompts and custom instructions to function as specialized tools for reporting, analysis, or guidance.

• For more information on how to create an AI Assistant, visit our Amplify: Create an AI Assistant page.

These tools allow users to fine-tune AI interactions, ensuring responses are relevant, structured, and aligned with specific needs.

Questions or Issues?

For any questions or issues related to Amplify, please submit a ticket by selecting the Report Issue button found on the Amplify GenAI Issue page located in the ITS service catalog, under Teaching, Learning, & Research.

Acknowledgement

Initial documentation structure, text, and images were provided by the Amplify open source GitHub repository (Vanderbilt, 2025, and 40AU), and parts have been modified by Carleton College.