Lexicon / TECHNIQUE
Temperature
A parameter that controls how random or creative an AI model's responses are. Lower values produce more predictable output, higher values produce more creative output.
Temperature is a number (usually between 0 and 2) that controls the randomness of an AI model’s output. Think of it as a creativity dial.
How It Works
- Temperature 0 — Deterministic. The model picks the most likely next word every time. Great for factual answers and code.
- Temperature 0.7 — Balanced. Good default for most conversations.
- Temperature 1.0+ — Creative. More varied and surprising responses. Useful for brainstorming or fiction.
When to Adjust
| Use case | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Code generation | 0 – 0.3 |
| Factual Q&A | 0 – 0.5 |
| General chat | 0.5 – 0.8 |
| Creative writing | 0.8 – 1.2 |
Good to Know
Not all providers use temperature the same way. Some models also support a top_p parameter that works similarly but operates on probability distribution instead.