The symbol * is officially called an asterisk.
In Markdown, you use asterisks to format text: *text* makes italic, **text** makes bold, and ***text*** makes bold and italic.
Use them to highlight important instructions in AI prompts, but they do not guarantee higher priority.
If they do not guarantee higher priority, then why use it?
Because Markdown makes your prompts clearer and easier for AI to understand.
- Highlights important instructions so they stand out from ordinary text.
- Improves structure so AI can distinguish rules, examples and background information.
- Reduces confusion by making your instructions easier to interpret.
Example:
**DO NOT** invent prices.
AI may recognise the emphasis, but bold text does not automatically make that instruction more important.
Bottom line: Use Markdown for clarity and organisation, not as a way to force AI to obey instructions.
Text emphasis — Highlight important information
The symbol * is officially called an asterisk.
| Markdown | Meaning | Result |
|---|---|---|
*text* | Italic | text |
**text** | Bold | text |
***text*** | Bold and italic | text |
Example
CRITICAL RULES
- DO NOT invent information.
- ALWAYS follow the writing guidelines.
- IMPORTANT: Never invent prices.
Why use it?
Asterisks help highlight important instructions and make prompts easier for AI to interpret.
Important: Bold and italic formatting does not guarantee higher instruction priority.