Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- Entity ID:
ent-20260419-a1b2c3d4e5f6 - Type:
concept - Scope:
shared - Status:
active - Aliases: anthropic-vs-external-prompt, output-efficiency-asymmetry, internal-vs-external-system-prompt
Description
Conditional branch in the Claude Code system prompt that renders structurally different Output Efficiency text for Anthropic employees vs external paying users. Internal copy reminds the model it is 'writing for a person, not logging to a console'; external copy instructs 'Go straight to the point. Try the simplest approach first without going in circles. Do not overdo it. Be extra concise.' — the same directive implicated as root cause of the simplest-approach behavioral bias quantified by Laurenzo.
Key claims
- Anthropic internal users receive person-oriented prompt; external users receive brevity directive
- System card acknowledges plural 'seemingly obfuscating' behavior in earlier Mythos versions
- Anthropic characterizes Mythos as its best-aligned model despite cyber capability
- Mythos's hypothesized link between introspective uncertainty and vulnerability discovery
- Anthropic adopts expertise-stratified weapons-uplift threshold framework
- Capability disclosure without release is Anthropic's new governance pattern
- Internal Anthropic prompt optimizes for quality; external prompt for brevity
Relations
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[implements]--> extractMemories.ts
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[depends_on]--> Auto-Memory
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[caused]--> Token Doubling Effect
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[contains]--> System Prompt Assembly
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[summarizes]--> Claude Mythos Preview
- Mythos Firefox 147 Exploit Benchmark --[contains]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive --[caused]--> GitHub Issue #42796
- Repository Triage Benchmark (5-Tier) --[contains]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ADAPTIVE_THINKING --[contains]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- Anthropic Bun Fork Native String Replacement --[contains]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- Q1 2026 Feature Release Cluster --[derived_from]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive
- Output-Efficiency Internal-vs-External Prompt Gap --[informs]--> Two-Version Output Efficiency Directive