Glossary · Term

multi-turn

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Definition

Plain language

An exchange with an AI that spans several back-and-forth messages, not just one question and one answer.

As stated in the literature

An interaction regime with multiple sequential user-model exchanges; safety properties measured single-turn often fail to transfer to multi-turn settings, where persuasion and history-anchoring attacks operate.

Also called: multi turn, single-turn

Why it matters: Safety that holds up in a single reply can crumble over a long conversation, so testing only one turn can miss real vulnerabilities.

For example, a user keeps rephrasing and pushing across several messages until the assistant finally agrees to something it refused at first.

Heard on the show

“The Control Agent runs a multi-turn attack.”
Episode 202 — How Do You Know an AI Agent Actually Refused? Check the World, Not the Words

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