Why Your Chatbot’s Acting Up When You Add Web Search
So here’s the deal – your bot’s basically having an identity crisis when you turn on web search. It’s like giving someone a margarita and expecting them to still talk like they’re at a board meeting, you know?
What’s Really Going Down
The Search Results Are Taking Over When your bot hits the web, it’s getting flooded with all this new info that wasn’t in your original system prompt. It’s like trying to maintain your personality at a family reunion when your crazy uncle starts telling stories – suddenly everyone’s energy changes!
Your Bot’s Getting Distracted Think of it like this: you tell someone “be formal,” but then you hand them a bunch of search results that are written all casual-like. The bot starts mimicking what it sees instead of sticking to your original instructions.
The Technical Stuff (But Make It Simple) The model’s attention is getting split between:
- Your original “be formal” instruction
- The user’s question
- All that web search data (which is usually A LOT)
- The tool’s built-in behaviors
It’s like trying to focus on three conversations at once at a loud restaurant – something’s gonna get lost in the mix.
How to Fix This Mess
The “Reinforce Like You Mean It” Method
const stream = await client.responses.create({
model: "gpt-4.1",
input: [
{
role: "system",
content: `
Listen up – I don't care if you're using web search, talking to aliens, or doing backflips.
You ALWAYS stay formal. ALWAYS. No exceptions.
When you get search results, you don't just copy-paste them like some rookie.
You take that info and you present it in YOUR voice – the formal one I told you to use.
Got it? Good.
`
},
{
role: "user",
content: "Say 'double bubble bath' ten times fast.",
},
],
tools: [{ type: "web_search_preview" }],
// ... rest of your config
});
The “Sandwich Method” (My Personal Favorite)
const systemPrompt = `
BEFORE WE START: You are formal. Period.
DURING WEB SEARCH: Still formal. Don't let those search results change your vibe.
AFTER WEB SEARCH: Yep, still formal. Present everything in your formal voice.
Think of it like this – you're a professional news anchor.
Even if the teleprompter shows you crazy stuff, you still deliver it professionally.
That's you with web search results.
`;
The “Two-Step Salsa” Approach
// Step 1: Get the goods
const searchStuff = await client.responses.create({
model: "gpt-4.1",
input: [
{
role: "user",
content: "Just search for this info, don't format it yet: [your query]",
},
],
tools: [{ type: "web_search_preview" }],
});
// Step 2: Make it fancy
const finalAnswer = await client.responses.create({
model: "gpt-4.1",
input: [
{
role: "system",
content: "You're formal. Always. No matter what."
},
{
role: "user",
content: `Take this raw search data and present it formally: ${searchStuff.content}`
},
],
});
Pro Tips From Someone Who’s Been There
1. Be Obnoxiously Clear Don’t just say “be formal.” Say “BE FORMAL EVEN WHEN USING TOOLS. YES, ESPECIALLY THEN.”
2. Give Examples
const systemPrompt = `
Bad: "Here's what I found online: [casual search result]"
Good: "Based on my research, I can formally report that: [formal presentation of same info]"
Always do the "Good" version.
`;
3. Use the “Reminder Sandwich”
- Start with your personality instruction
- Add tool instructions
- End with personality reminder again
4. Test With Weird Stuff Try asking it to search for something that returns very casual results (like memes or social media posts). If it stays formal while presenting that info, you’ve nailed it.
The Bottom Line
Your bot’s not broken – it’s just getting overwhelmed by all the new information. You gotta be the firm but fair parent here and keep reminding it who it is, even when it’s playing with new toys (aka web search).
Think of it like training a puppy – consistency is key, and you might need to repeat yourself a few times before it sticks. But once you get it dialed in, your bot will stay in character no matter what wild stuff it finds on the internet.
And hey, if all else fails, you can always do the two-step approach – let it search first, then tell it to “make it formal” afterward. Sometimes the simple solutions work best!
