Issue: When using Clay’s AI field builder to match values from the “Industry” field against a custom list of picklist values in the prompt (via Enriched Industry), the AI occasionally returns results outside of the allowed picklist list. Example: “Advertising Services” is returned, even though that option is not in the defined list provided in the prompt. Expected Behavior: The AI should return only the closest exact match from the list provided — no free-text or unlisted values. Question: Is this a known quirk or limitation? Are there recommended workarounds to strictly enforce selection from a defined list?
AI sometimes doesn't give exactly what you're looking for on the first try - this is normal. You can iterate on your prompts and adjust the wording to get better results. Workarounds to enforce picklist selection: • Refine your prompt - Be more specific about requiring exact matches only from your defined list • Use the preview feature to test results before applying the formula to all rows • Iterate on prompt wording - Try different phrasing like "select ONLY from this exact list" or "return the closest match from these options only" • Consider AI formulas instead of AI enrichments for better control over data formatting The AI's tendency to return values outside defined lists isn't explicitly documented as a limitation, but prompt refinement typically resolves this issue.
