Structured output

Forcing the model to answer in an exact machine-readable format — named fields like name, date, amount — instead of free prose. (The usual format is called JSON, a simple labeled-data notation software everywhere understands.)

It isn't only for machines. You can just as well demand a fixed human-readable shape — a table with these four columns, exactly three bullets, the same five headings every time. Asking for a shape is the point; whether the reader is a person or a program is your choice.

Why it matters: the moment an AI's answer needs to flow into a spreadsheet, database, or another agent, structured output is mandatory. And when the reader is a person, a consistent shape is what makes twenty answers comparable instead of twenty essays.