diff --git a/docs/docs/text/transformation.md b/docs/docs/text/transformation.md
index 9695f80b7..f007260ee 100644
--- a/docs/docs/text/transformation.md
+++ b/docs/docs/text/transformation.md
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ marvin.cast('Mass.', target=str, instructions="The state's abbreviation")
 # MA
 ```
 
+Note that when providing instructions, the `target` field is assumed to be a string unless otherwise specified. If no instructions are provided, a target type is required.
+
 
 ## Classification
 
diff --git a/src/marvin/ai/text.py b/src/marvin/ai/text.py
index 0e310af06..2620ba111 100644
--- a/src/marvin/ai/text.py
+++ b/src/marvin/ai/text.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ async def _generate_typed_llm_response_with_logit_bias(
 
 async def cast_async(
     data: str,
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: Optional[str] = None,
     model_kwargs: Optional[dict] = None,
     client: Optional[AsyncMarvinClient] = None,
@@ -235,22 +235,32 @@ async def cast_async(
     """
     Converts the input data into the specified type.
 
-    This function uses a language model to convert the input data into a specified type.
-    The conversion process can be guided by specific instructions. The function also
-    supports additional arguments for the language model.
+    This function uses a language model to convert the input data into a
+    specified type. The conversion process can be guided by specific
+    instructions. The function also supports additional arguments for the
+    language model.
 
     Args:
         data (str): The data to be converted.
-        target (type): The type to convert the data into.
-        instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion. Defaults to None.
-        model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for the language model. Defaults to None.
-        client (AsyncMarvinClient, optional): The client to use for the AI function.
+        target (type): The type to convert the data into. If none is provided
+            but instructions are provided, `str` is assumed.
+        instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion.
+            Defaults to None.
+        model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for the
+            language model. Defaults to None.
+        client (AsyncMarvinClient, optional): The client to use for the AI
+            function.
 
     Returns:
         T: The converted data of the specified type.
     """
     model_kwargs = model_kwargs or {}
 
+    if target is None and instructions is None:
+        raise ValueError("Must provide either a target type or instructions.")
+    elif target is None:
+        target = str
+
     # if the user provided a `to` type that represents a list of labels, we use
     # `classify()` for performance.
     if (
@@ -686,7 +696,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
 def cast(
     data: str,
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: Optional[str] = None,
     model_kwargs: Optional[dict] = None,
     client: Optional[AsyncMarvinClient] = None,
@@ -694,16 +704,21 @@ def cast(
     """
     Converts the input data into the specified type.
 
-    This function uses a language model to convert the input data into a specified type.
-    The conversion process can be guided by specific instructions. The function also
-    supports additional arguments for the language model.
+    This function uses a language model to convert the input data into a
+    specified type. The conversion process can be guided by specific
+    instructions. The function also supports additional arguments for the
+    language model.
 
     Args:
         data (str): The data to be converted.
-        target (type): The type to convert the data into.
-        instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion. Defaults to None.
-        model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for the language model. Defaults to None.
-        client (AsyncMarvinClient, optional): The client to use for the AI function.
+        target (type): The type to convert the data into. If none is provided
+            but instructions are provided, `str` is assumed.
+        instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion.
+            Defaults to None.
+        model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for the
+            language model. Defaults to None.
+        client (AsyncMarvinClient, optional): The client to use for the AI
+            function.
 
     Returns:
         T: The converted data of the specified type.
@@ -882,7 +897,7 @@ def classify_map(
 
 async def cast_async_map(
     data: list[str],
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: Optional[str] = None,
     model_kwargs: Optional[dict] = None,
     client: Optional[AsyncMarvinClient] = None,
@@ -901,7 +916,7 @@ async def cast_async_map(
 
 def cast_map(
     data: list[str],
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: Optional[str] = None,
     model_kwargs: Optional[dict] = None,
     client: Optional[AsyncMarvinClient] = None,
diff --git a/src/marvin/beta/vision.py b/src/marvin/beta/vision.py
index c9cfb8294..c433a1e2e 100644
--- a/src/marvin/beta/vision.py
+++ b/src/marvin/beta/vision.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ async def caption_async(
 
 async def cast_async(
     data: Union[str, Image],
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: str = None,
     images: list[Image] = None,
     vision_model_kwargs: dict = None,
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ async def cast_async(
     Args:
         images (list[Image]): The images to be processed.
         data (str): The data to be converted.
-        target (type): The type to convert the data into.
+        target (type): The type to convert the data into. If not provided but
+            instructions are provided, assumed to be str.
         instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion.
             Defaults to None.
         vision_model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for
@@ -358,7 +359,7 @@ def caption(
 
 def cast(
     data: Union[str, Image],
-    target: type[T],
+    target: type[T] = None,
     instructions: str = None,
     images: list[Image] = None,
     vision_model_kwargs: dict = None,
@@ -369,7 +370,8 @@ def cast(
 
     Args:
         data (Union[str, Image]): The data to be converted.
-        target (type[T]): The type to convert the data into.
+        target (type[T]): The type to convert the data into. If not provided but
+            instructions are provided, assumed to be str.
         instructions (str, optional): Specific instructions for the conversion.
         images (list[Image], optional): The images to be processed.
         vision_model_kwargs (dict, optional): Additional keyword arguments for the vision model.
diff --git a/tests/ai/test_cast.py b/tests/ai/test_cast.py
index 202bf1609..3cb5079a8 100644
--- a/tests/ai/test_cast.py
+++ b/tests/ai/test_cast.py
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ def test_cast_text_with_subtle_instructions(self, gpt_4):
             )
             assert result == "My name is MARVIN"
 
+        def test_str_target_if_only_instructions_provided(self):
+            result = marvin.cast(
+                "one", instructions="the numerical representation of the word "
+            )
+            assert isinstance(result, str)
+            assert result == "1"
+
+        def test_error_if_no_target_and_no_instructions(self):
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+                marvin.cast("one")
+
     class TestCastCallsClassify:
         @patch("marvin.ai.text.classify_async")
         def test_cast_doesnt_call_classify_for_int(self, mock_classify):