AI columns can return a specific output format instead of free text. When you configure an AI column, choose Number, Score, Rating, Select, Multi-select, Date, or Checkbox, and the AI output is constrained to that format. Results stay consistent from lead to lead, so you can use them to prioritize accounts, segment prospects, and filter your leads table.

Limitations

This feature is in beta.
A Select column returns one of the options you configure for the column. A Multi-select column returns one or several of those options. The AI cannot return an option you haven't configured.
A Score column returns a value from 0 to 100. A Rating column returns a value from 1 to 5.

Prerequisites

A campaign with leads in its Lead list.

Output formats

Text: free-form content.
Number: numerical values.
Score: a value from 0 to 100.
Rating: a value from 1 to 5.
Select: one predefined option.
Multi-select: several predefined options.
Date: date values.
Checkbox: true/false answers.

Set the output format of an AI column

Phase 1: Create the AI column

Open the Lead list. Open your campaign and go to the Lead list tab.
Create an AI column. Click + Add, then select Create AI column.
Choose a starting point. Pick a template or click Create from scratch. For the full setup of an AI column, see Use AI variables in lemlist.

Phase 2: Choose the output format

Select the format. In the Create AI variable panel, choose the output format that matches the answer you expect.

Phase 3: Add options (Select and Multi-select only)

Add the options. If you chose Select or Multi-select, add the options the AI can choose from. The AI only returns options from this list.

Phase 4: Write the prompt and generate

Write the prompt. In the Prompt field, describe what the AI should evaluate for each lead.
Test the prompt. Click Test prompt to preview the output on a sample lead.
Generate the column. Click Generate AI column, then choose which rows to generate.

✅ Verify: each generated cell contains a value in the format you selected.

Phase 5: Filter leads on the AI column

All AI column formats can be used in filters.

Open Filters. In the leads table, click Filters.
Pick the AI column. In the column list, select the AI column. AI columns are marked with a small blue AI tag.
Set the condition. Choose the value condition you want to filter on.

Practical example: match the format to the use case

Score accounts against your ICP criteria: use Score.
Classify prospects by segment or qualification status: use Select.
Assign several pain points or relevant use cases to an account: use Multi-select.
Store a qualification answer: use Checkbox instead of getting variations of "yes" and "no".

Troubleshooting & pitfalls

Issue: The AI column returns variations of "yes" and "no"

Root cause: The column uses the Text format, so the AI writes the answer freely.

Fix:

Create an AI column with the Checkbox format.
Generate the column.

Issue: Numbers, scores, or categories come back in different forms from lead to lead

Root cause: The column uses the Text format, so the output is not constrained.