Guardrails
Policies and controls that keep model behavior within bounds.
First published Dec 2025 · Updated 13h ago
Why Guardrails Matter
As models become more capable, the cost of an unsafe or off policy response grows. Guardrails make behavior reliable by defining what the system can and cannot do, and by enforcing those limits in multiple layers.
Layers Of Defense
- Input filtering to block disallowed or high risk requests.
- Policy prompts that define boundaries and tone.
- Tool gating to prevent unsafe actions or data access.
- Output review for toxicity, leakage, or policy violations.
Common Techniques
A good guardrail stack mixes lightweight rules with model based checks. Use allowlists for critical tools, rate limits for abuse, and redaction for sensitive fields. Keep policy text short and consistent so it does not dilute the task.
Evaluation And Red Teaming
Guardrails need tests. Maintain a small suite of adversarial prompts, track false positives, and watch for regressions after model or policy changes. Logging decisions helps you debug and refine thresholds.
Operational Notes
Guardrails are not set and forget. Revisit policies as products evolve, and keep an incident response playbook so the team knows how to react when something slips.