Lost in the Middle

What it is

"Lost in the middle" refers to how AI models pay less attention to information in the middle of long contexts compared to the beginning and end. Even within the context window, information placement affects how well it's used. Important content can be overlooked if buried in the middle.

Why it matters

For best results, place crucial information at the start or end of your context, not buried in the middle. This is especially important for long prompts or RAG applications. If you're getting responses that ignore information you provided, try restructuring where that information appears.